The Creator
by The Author Behind The Door
Summary: What if Teresa wasn't the first girl? What if a girl came up the box months before Thomas? Lise is that girl, and she wants to help the boys escape. She helped put them there and now she was going to get them out, but how can she without her memories? What happens when a certain blonde gets in the way? Can she help the boys she will come to call family or is she useless?
1. The Elevator

This is my first FanFiction and I apologize in advance for anything I do wrong in the publishing process. Please feel free to critique anything you want. Well here it goes.

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I could hardly breath, my lungs were on fire with the need for oxygen. I turned the corner, and the light flashed off. I stumbled and fell against the wall. They knew I had gotten out. The emergency lighting flashed on, and I began running down the hall again. I only had so much time before they found me. The sound of feet pounding against the tile behind became audible. I pushed my legs to go faster down the hall. I could barely see where I was going in the emergency lighting even when I squinted my eyes. My legs were begging me to stop; to just turn around and go back to work, but my heart was pushing me forward. I couldn't sit there any longer and work for them. I couldn't stand it anymore. I couldn't watch the boys die anymore. Correction I couldn't watch the boys be killed anymore.

"Stop Lise," that was Jordan's voice. He could shove it. "You have nowhere to go!"

"Lise, please," Thomas's voice yelled. "This isn't the way to do it!"

I ignored both of them, and forced my legs to go faster down the white walled hallway. Thomas might be right, but he had everything under control. He didn't need me. Up ahead the walls disappeared on both sides of the hallway and I turned left. I was almost there if I could just make it to the elevator I would be home free. They wouldn't be able to reach me after I went up. There was no way back down the elevator I made sure of that. I stumbled over my aching legs before catching myself and pushing on.

"You can't go there! You could ruin everything," her voice sounded over the speaker system.

My stomach churned as it had since they asked me to work in the control room. She claimed to care. Claimed to want the best for the boys, but never shed any tears over their deaths. Every time one of them died a small piece of me withered away because I could stop it. I was going to stop it. I took the last turn and slammed my fist into the elevator's call button before slamming the door closed and slipping the lock onto place just in time for the first man to run into it.

"Open the door Lise," Taylor's voice yelled through the door. "You'll ruin everything you help create!"

"That's why I'm doing this!" I yelled back standing in front of the elevator doors waiting.

The men behind the door began to throw themselves against it in an effort to get it open. The sound of metal scraping against metal filled the small room as the elevator doors opened. I looked back over my shoulder when the door cracked, but they were too late.

"You'll destroy all our work," her voice screeched. "I won't let you get away with this! W.I.C.K.E.D. is good!"

I jumped into the elevator just as the door slammed open to the room. I turned to look at the men pushing into the room, but the elevator doors were already closing. They had no hope of stopping me now. Thomas had pushed his way to the front of the group and I met his eyes. His face was contorted in complete panic. The action I was taking was going to change everything, and he was going to have to pick up the pieces. The doors shut blocking my view of them and left me in complete darkness. A hissing sound filled the room and I knew nothing more.

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Well this is just my first chapter figured I would keep it short. The rest of my chapters will hopefully be longer. Please tell me what you think! Thanks!


	2. The Glade

I blinked my eyes in an attempt to see something, but I couldn't even see my own nose. The room I was in all of a sudden lurched upwards forcing me to fall to the floor. Fear gripped me and squeezed the air from my lungs. I reached my hands out and searched for anything to hold onto, but I found only air. Tears threatened to fall, but I refused to let them. I was made of tougher material than this. I crawled forward slowly with my hand raised, and finally made contact with a wall.

I cried out happily and turned around to press myself against it. The musty smell of the room and creaking sound of the metal invaded my senses and in the dark I had little else to focus on. It was going to drive me insane. I turned my head in the dark praying for anything to look at, but there was nothing. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to image anything else that could keep me distracted. I searched my mind for anything familiar anything I knew would comfort me, but there was nothing.

My eyes snapped opened in panic and I gripped my head in my hands. I couldn't remember anything…wait...wait there was something... my name. Lise. I could remember my first name. The little tiny spark of relief was squashed just as quickly as It had appeared. That tiny piece of me was nothing compared to what I should remember. My life. My parents. Even my last name. I couldn't remember any of it.

I hugged my knees to my chest and stared into the darkness. I allowed my mind to wander, to picture cities, animals, anything for what seemed like hours, but could only have been maybe half an hour before the metallic scrapping ceased, I was pressed into the floor, and left in deafening silence. I waited for something to happen, but after a few minutes when nothing did fear set in again.

I began screaming for help. I stood and walked the walls of the small room searching for any sort of door, but came up empty. All of a sudden there was a loud bang above my head and I snapped my eyes up to look at the ceiling. A thin line of light had appeared there and I squinted away the burn in my eyes. The light grew larger, and noises began to float down from the opening. Voices. I sucked in a breath to calm my nerves.

"What's the new shank look like?"

"Hope you had fun on the way up cause there ain't no down!"

The head and shoulders of a boy appeared in my field of vision and he looked down at me while speaking.

"Will you all just- it's a girl!"

"Don't mess with us you shank!"

More heads of boys- teenagers- appeared and I clenched my fists in fear. What was happening?

"He's telling the truth it's a girl!"

"I call dibs!"

"Like she would want to look at your shuck-face!"

"Oh and yours is any better? You look like a klunk with legs!"

I swallowed apprehensively and pressed myself against the wall. What was going on? What were all the weird words they were using?

"Will you all shut your holes? You're scaring the newbie."

Above a number of the heads disappeared and one more came into sight. He was a dark-skinned boy who looked a few years older than the other teenagers. I looked up at him and he down at me for a moment before he spoke.

"I'm going to lower a rope down, you can chose to come up if you want. We won't force you to and we certainly won't hurt you."

A rope with a loop at the end fell down to me and I stared at it for a moment. I looked back up to the boy, took a deep breath and moved forward. They had given me no reason to fear them as of yet, and I really hated this box. I grabbed the rope and carefully placed my foot in the loop. As soon as I my foot was set I was being pulled up. The dark-skinned boy reached down to me once I was in reach and basically pulled me over the lip of the ceiling.

"Thank you," I murmured quietly before looking around at the others surrounding us. He nodded in response.

Every face I saw was another boy and I searched for another girl hoping to find some sort of reassurance, but there was no female in sight. The dark-skinned boy next to me spoke again before I had a chance to investigate further into my newly acquired location.

"You're the first girl," he said gesturing with his head to the others. "Welcome to the Glade."

I looked up to the boy in confusion, but just then all the others began speaking loudly and moving closer to me. In a small fit of panic I stepped sideways into him accidentally and he steady me by grabbing my arms.

"Get back you shanks," he snapped.

They all stopped and took a step back. So he was the leader. After he helped me I began to feel much better. I stepped away muttering a quick apology. I looked past the other teenager to take in my surrounding and realized I had climbed out of one box into another much bigger one. All around the group the green land we stood in was surrounded by four walls.

"Don't try to take it all in at once," the boy behind me said. "You'll know what you need to soon enough. Name's Alby."

He offered his hand to me and I reached out gingerly to take it

"Lise. Where exactly am I?"

"I'll tell you tomorrow. For now I want you to take it easy. This place can be-"

"How am I supposed to take it easy if I'm overly confused and stuck God knows where with thirty other teenagers who won't tell me anything," I questioned testily.

Alby looked taken back. I must have looked worse than I thought if this little outburst surprised him. Then again I was the first girl he had seen in a while, maybe he forgot how to react to one.

"If I tell you everything at once I might as well through you off the cliff myself," he said in a huff.

"Cliff?"

"Why does this always happen?"

"You'll have to forgive our klunk-head of a leader. He can't bloody talk to any of the Greenies without messing up once, but that's the reason I'm here," A boy, taller than Alby yet younger then him with blonde hair just past his shoulders said side stepping the aforementioned teen. He had a particular accent that was different from the others. "Name's Newt."

I didn't reach out as I had with Alby to shake this boy's hand. Instead I stared at him in confusion. His face was familiar. It reminded me of something. Someone I had known. I felt queasy and closed my eyes to force the feeling away. I forced my name to pass my lips, but refused to shake the boys hand.

"Looks like Newt's got an admirer," a voice called from the group.

"Shut it Gally," Newt called back without looking away from me. It seemed he felt the same as I did because his hand had dropped quickly after meeting my eyes.

"You pipe it, Newt," Alby voiced sounded. "She probably didn't shake your hand because she can barely tell what you're saying," Alby turned back to me and gestured with his hand to the land around us. "This is the Glade. It is your new home. We are the Gladers. You are one of us now, so get used to it. I know-"

"Why am I here?"

"Don't interrupt me," he snapped, but I held my ground and glared up at him. "I will tell you more tomorrow when I give you a tour. Right now Newt will get you food, and a place to sleep," he paused as if a thought had just struck him. "Away from the other shanks," A chorus of groans erupted from the other teenagers and Alby rolled his eyes before pointing at me. "You will be happy here soon enough Greenie, but for now, just like the rest of us, you won't know everything on your first day in the Glade," he turned to the others. "Now all of you back to work. There is barely and hour before the Runners return and I want you all finished surprise Greenie or not!"

I fumed and glared at the back of Alby's retreating form, but jumped when Newt touched my shoulder to grab my attention. He had apparently been saying my name. I glanced at him, shook my head, and stomped my foot in frustration.

"Why am I here," I asked. "What did I do?"

"We have all gone through what you are Greenie," Newt said as he began walking. I followed him reluctantly mostly because being left with one him was better than twenty others I didn't know. "You'll have your questions answered tomorrow."

"By Alby," I asked. He nodded his head and I threw my hands up. "Than I wont know anything. He started nice enough, but he turned out to be so-"

"Careful Greenie," Newt said looking at me sideways. "He might be rough around the edges, but he is my best friend, and I don't take kindly to Green beans like yourself talking bad about him. Lady or not. Got that?"

I huffed in annoyance and crossed my arms as we walked, but nodded in understanding.

"Good that."

"What are you saying? Funny accent as aide. All these weird words and phrases you're all confusing me. What is klunk, shank, or shuck? It's all so unusual."

"It's just how we've come to talk here. You'll pick it up soon Greenie don't worry."

"There! That too! Greenie! Why do you call me that?"

He laughed at me. He had the audacity to laugh at me! I growled and punched him in the arm as we continued to walk. He flinched and rubbed his arm in mock pain. I stopped moving and he went on. I glared at his back as he walked forwarded, and released for the first time he walked with a limp. I set my jaw and caught up to him. I wasn't going to say another word to this boy. He had offended me while I was weak. I wasn't going to let that go easy.

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Newt lead me to a building to get food from one of the boys named Frypan first. I stood in line ignoring the whispering from the others and waited patiently in front of Newt. Once it was my turn to get food I greeted the cook nicely and asked what he had for food.

"Sweetie I got whatever you want as long as it fits in a sandwich."

I felt that I should have been offended that he called me sweetie, but the way he said it made it sound more like a pet name then some sort of flirtation so I let it go. I asked for turkey and he handed me a plate. Before I could walk away Frypan motioned me closer.

"Alby asked me to help watch out for ya. If any of these shanks give you a hard time just tell me."

I pulled back and looked at the boy for a second before the corners of my lips tugged up into a smile and I thanked him again. I waited for Newt to get his food and converse with Frypan before he lead me away from the food building outside to eat on the grass. I picked at my food and ate very little of it. I pushed my plate away with more than half a sandwich left.

Newt eyed my plate before shaking his head in disapproval.

"I wouldn't throw that out, love-"he froze mid-sentence, and I tensed up at the name. It felt so familiar, like being called that was meant to happen, but I couldn't place why. It was foreign and a part of me all at the same time. A headache began to form between my eyes and I squinted to suppress the pain. Newt cleared his through uncomfortably. "Frypan would have your Green bean bottom if he found out you didn't eat your food."

"I'm not hungry," I murmured folding my legs and placing my chin on my knees. He sighed reached out and picked up my leftovers and began eating it.

"You finished that," he stated once finished. "Not me."

I nodded and stood up with him. He began to walk towards the largest building in the Glade with that limp of his.

"This is the Homestead," he said. "This is where some of us sleep and it's the best place I can think of to have you stay.

He walked up the stairs and I followed him into one of the rooms on the next floor. I looked around the room, but there wasn't much to see. I walked over to the bed and sat down gently.

"This is my room, but I figured it would be better than having you sleep downstairs," I bristled at his words. I wasn't some flower in need of protection.

"I don't need to stay here."

"No, but you will. Don't worry I don't plan on moving out. It is my room after all. We are going to bunk together. You can have to bed."

A loud scrapping noise filled the Glade and I flinched at the sound. I opened my mouth, but Newt shook his head. He wasn't going to answer any of my questions. I grumbled about useless boys as I forcefully settled into bed willing myself to fall asleep.

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I woke up to Newt shaking me. I grumbled and pushed him away. Couldn't he see I was sleeping? I rolled over and settled down again. Newt began talking, but I zoned him out. That was until he tipped my mattress over and dumped me on the floor. Outraged I stood up to face him.

"You're going to miss it if you keep ignoring me. You respond worse than half these shanks when it comes to waking up," he said walking out the door gesturing with his hand for me to follow.

I glared at his back, but lengthen my stride to catch up with him. Maybe he would answer my questions. He led me to the west wall at a slow jog and dug his hand into the green hanging there to reveal a window. It was too dark to see much of anything on the other side.

"This is why you woke me up?"

"Shush. Just watch."

I looked out the window for a while and was just about to tell the blonde off for waking me up when I heard something. It was like a whirling sound like gears, and then the clang of metal on rock. I squinted out the window trying to get a better view of the other side.

"Where is this window too," I asked.

"The Maze."

"What," I asked turning, but he shook his head and pointed.

There was something moving on the other side of the window. I squinted and pressed closer only to pull away in fear. A scream tore its way up my throat, but couldn't escape my body. There was a monster outside the window. It was large and round with no real shape and spikes for appendages. I looked away, and turned to Newt.

"What is that?"

"A Griever," he said letting the greens fall over the window again. "The Maze is our only way out of here. Our only hope in this place, but every day we try to figure the bloody thing out. So far we've have no luck. Those Grievers are there to hinder our work and put fear into every bloody day we live here. The only good thing about them is they only come out at night."

I look back at the covered window. My gut was screaming at me to get into the Maze while my mind was yelling at me not to be stupid. I was torn, but I felt that if I could just get out there I could help. I felt like I knew something, but it was hidden in my head with the rest of me. How I didn't know I just knew. Maybe out there I could at least find answers. He had said those things only come out at night. Newt began to walk away and the sun peaked out to start the day. I caught up with Newt just as the scrapping noise from last night filled the air.

I looked over to the door on the west wall to see a few of the boys standing next to the walls as they moved. As they opened I stared wide eyed for a moment. The boys were running out into the Maze. I immediately caught Newt's attention.

"I need to get out there," I said. He turned around so fast I thought he was going to tip over.

"What did you just bloody say, shank?"

"That's no way to speak to a lady. I need to get out there and look at the Maze."

"No. It's out of the question. Alby wanted me to show you that so you would know the dangers of the Maze not run into it like a stupid piece of klunk," he said he was doing it for Alby, but when I glared up into his face I thought I saw fear in his eyes. Fear for me?

I set my jaw, but he just glared right back. I was going into that Maze if it was the last thing I did.

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Tell me what you think of this second chapter. I hope you like it!

Thanks!


	3. The Tour

Hey,

Sorry this is updated late I moved into my dorm room this week. I wanted to post this chapter Wednesday, but I just ran out of time with the move. I apologize to any who were checking to see if I updated. Well here it is anyway! Hope you enjoy.

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I paced impatiently in front of the homestead waiting for Alby so I could talk to him about the Maze during the tour everyone was talking about. At first I had rushed into the building leaving Newt glaring at me by the west wall, but I had been barred from approaching Alby by a few of the other boys who had a "bigger problem than any girl Greenie would understand." I had bristled at that stupid name "Greenie," but kept my temper in check and stomped outside to wait.

I stopped pacing and turned to look at the Glade and all the boys doing various chores. After a moment I huffed in annoyance and dropped to sit on the ground. These boys didn't know how to act around me some of them tiptoed around me, some avoided me like the plague, and others treated me…normally. I sighed, shook my head, and lent back onto my elbows. If I had to choose I wish they would all treat me like another one of the boys here at least so that I felt like I belonged. Right now I felt like I was an outsider catching a glimpse of a rather odd way of living. I watched the boys while waiting, and the longer I watched them the more I felt like I had done this before. That watching them was a natural state for me. Puzzled I squinted my eyes to concentrate, but instead another headache began to form.

"Are you ready," I jumped when Alby's voice broke my out of my thoughts. "I don't want to hear any questions from you until the end got it Greenie?"

I looked up at him in all his menacing glory and all of a sudden didn't feel like asking to go into the Maze with Newt's words playing in my head.

 _It's out of the question. Alby wanted me to show you that so you would know the dangers of the Maze not run into it!_

I began to stand and he offered his hand out to me. I looked up at him quizzically. His eyes creased and his mouth turned down at the corners.

"I'm not that big of a shank. I'm not going to just stand here and not help a girl."

A small smile pulled at my lips, I tried to fight it, but eventually gave in and took his offered hand. His large hand basically engulfed mine before he pulled me up with just a little too much effort causing me to stumble towards him.

"Sorry," we chorus at the same time. He chuckled and shook his head rubbing the back of it with his hand.

"You're much lighter than most of the Gladers. I'll have to get used to it I guess."

He began walking towards the elevator I was brought here in motioning with his hand for me to follow him. He stopped at the edge of the square and waited for me, but I didn't stop next to him I stood just behind him. The doors were closed at the moment, but I didn't want to risk them opening and leaving me in the dark again.

"This is the Box. Once every month. We get one Greenie. It never fails to happen. Once a week we get more supplies like clothes, and some food," I opened my mouth about to break the golden rule but he beat me to it. "Nothing. We know nothing about the box. Where it's from, who it's from, nothing. We haven't been told anything. We tried to send a slin- greenie back down, but the box wouldn't move till he was out," I covered my mouth to suppress the laugh building up my throat when he corrected his language, "Before you ask we have tried to send a shank down after the box left, but he was sliced right in half." My eyes felt like they might fall out of their sockets and I took another step back, "No questions about it yet." he said turning to me.

"The Glade is cut into four sections," he said gesturing to the Glade in general. "There's the Gardens, the Blood House, Homestead, Deadheads. Got it?"

My face must have given away my confusion, because Alby rolled his eyes. He pointed to the southeast corner where the animals were penned. "Blood House is where we keep and slaughter the animals." He turned to point to the southwest corner where a small pitiful forest grew. "That's the Deadheads. There's a graveyard in the back of the corner where the woods are thicker. You can go there for some alone time or whatever." He sighed and turned to the Homestead. "That's the Homestead we continue to add to it when they send us wood, but most of us sleep outside anyway." Finally he turned to the Northeast corner. "That's the Gardens where we grow our food. The water is piped in from the outside. If it wasn't we would have never made it this far. It never rains here."

My head was buzzing with questions, but I couldn't focus on any of them. I was developing a headache once again, but I felt like all my questions were useless. That I should already now all the answers. I squinted and shook my head a little to focus on Alby. He had turned back to me, but paused when he looked at me. I must have looked how I felt. I shook my head and motioned for him to keep talking. He looked confused for a second, but began speaking and walking to the South wall. I had to basically run to keep up with his long strides.

"You'll be working for each of our Keepers one a day for the next few weeks until we find a job that sticks-" He was cut off in the middle of his sentence.

"Oi, Alby," Newt's voice yelled from the Gardens. "She'll get tired before you're half way done if you don't slow down you shank!"

Alby looked over almost in shock than turned to look at me a few paces behind him. He sighed and shortened his stride for me to catch up.

"Sorry, I'll have to get used to having such a small girl around."

"I can take care of myself," I said defending myself.

He chuckled and gave me a sidelong glance. "Sure you can Greenie. Anyway as I was saying you'll work at every job until one sticks, it always does."

I opened my mouth ready to tell him I wanted to be a runner. That I wouldn't consider any other job when he held up a hand.

"No interruptions," he said sternly glaring me down. I glared back, but closed my mouth. I would follow the rules until the tour was over then I would have a go at him.

I turned away as he began speaking again, but I tuned him out and looked around at the trees and the animal pens. The smell of manure reached my nose and grimaced in distaste. The boys working around them looked like they were in their natural element, like they were born on a farm. I glanced a the cows, and for a second thought I was looking through a screen. I blinked my eyes rapidly and turned my head to get a better look. No screen, but the cows, pigs, all of them looked so familiar. This place was starting to piss me off. Everything was familiar, but nothing was committed to my memory. I let my eyes wonder to the woods as Alby started walking and talking again. A graveyard was back there. A small pit formed in my stomach and for a moment I couldn't figure out why. It came to me slowly this feeling was guilt. I felt an overwhelming sense of guilt when I thought of the graveyard of the boys who must be lying there dead. I turned back to Alby quickly.

"That there," he said pointing to a large barn behind the pens. "Is where the Slicers work. Nasty job, but if you like blood that's the job for you." I felt like throwing up once I realized what a Slicers job was and the corner of Alby's lips pulled up just a little. "There are also the Sloppers, Track-Hoes who work in the Gardens, Baggers who are king of our police, Builders who work on the building and a few more," He stopped in front of the outdoor and pointed out. "The Maze is out there," I gazed past him looking at the walls of the Maze trying to memorize the little bit I could see until the walls turned left. "I've been here two years. No one's been here longer. The few that were here before me died. Two years and we have never figured out the Maze the shuckin' walls move every night just like the doors close. Mapping out the Maze ain't easy."

The overwhelming need to go out into the Maze and look myself overtook me again and I stepped forward. If I could just go out once I felt like I could figure-

"Ain't no going out there for you Greenie," Alby said outing his hand up in front of me.

Anger fueled by my pride made me speak up, "Why not?"

"Rule one- Nobody goes out into the Maze unless they are a Runner. If you go out there and you ain't killed by a Griever we will kill you." He glared down at me almost daring me to say something. I jutted my chin out and glared up at him two could play this game.

"Then I want to be a Runner," something close to fear entered his eyes.

"No, never. You will not be entering the Maze. You think I sent Newt to you this morning to have you willingly go out there? This is not a shuckin' game. Those Grievers will tear you limb from limb. No. You will not be seeing the inside of the Maze walls."

"I can take care of myself! You think because I'm a girl I can't handle going out there? I can! I need to be out there! I have this feeling-"

"That feeling will get you killed," Alby nearly roared. He clearly wanted to say more, but our argument was cut short.

A boy came running up to us. I looked at him and stepped back in shock. He had blood on his clothes.

"Alby you have to come quick. Frypan cut his hand and we can't get it to stop bleeding. He's lost a lot of blood already," the boy turned and ran back towards the Homestead.

"You-" he said turning to me, but I was following the boy. Frypan had been so nice to me yesterday I had to make sure he would be alright.

"Hey wait," He yelled as he started to follow me. "You shouldn't-"

I ran into the Homestead and followed the boy upstairs to one of the rooms. Frypan was sitting on the edge of the bed holding his left hand with his right one while the boy that came running up to us tried to tend to his wound. Blood dripped rapidly from his hand to a bucket on the floor. Frypan's face was pale, but he looked up when I entered the room and smiled weakly.

"Hey Sweetie, I promise I didn't get any in the food."

I shook my head and took a few steps forward watching the boy work on Frypan's hand. He was doing it wrong he wasn't going to stop the bleeding like that. Trying to simply hold a cloth to his hand was not going to stop the blood. Before I could reach them Alby showed up and pulled me from the room.

"You don't need to be in-"

"I don't care! He's doing it wrong. He won't stop the blood loss. I have to help! I know how to stop Frypan from losing too much blood," I looked pleadingly up at Alby, and he looked down at me with conflicting emotions in his eyes. "Please Alby."

His lips thinned, but he nodded and let my arms go. I ran around him and to Frypan's side. I reached out and took the cloth from the boy's hands.

"I need you to go get water, alcohol if you have it, and some stiches if you have any," I told the boy.

He looked up at me for a second with wide eyes, then nodded and stood up quickly to do as I asked. I sat on my heels in front of Frypan and moved the cloth for a moment to look at the cut. It was deep and crossed the length of his palm. I grimaced and pressed the cloth tightly into his hand. Frypan sucked in a breath as protest, and I muttered an apology. Alby got down beside me.

"How bad is it?"

"Bad."

"Makes me feel good," Frypan said.

I looked up at him and smiled tightly. The boy ran into the room with everything I needed and I sighed in relief. Alby took the supplies and set them next to me.

"Thanks Clint."

I grabbed the alcohol and motioned for Alby to remove the cover. I pulled the cloth away.

"This is going to hurt," I said as I turned the bottle upside down.

Frypan hissed and began to pull his hand away, but I gripped his wrist to hold him still. I wiped the wound clean and picked up the needle with the stiches.

"Alby hold his hand to the bed. I can't have him move while I do this."

Alby did as I asked and I began to stitch Frypan's hand up. Once I was done I grabbed another cloth and wrapped his hand tightly and secured it with a knot. I sat back and wiped my forehead. I had been sweating and I hadn't realized it. Frypan looked down at his hand than at me in something close to wonder. I had performed that like it was my second nature. It was so easy to stitch up his hand. How had I done that? I don't remember learning that.

"Don't use it for a few weeks. Keep it dry. Wash it with alcohol once a week. Stay in bed for the rest of the day. You lost a lot of blood," I said gently, but I felt like I was repeating a long rehearsed line.

"Alby's hand came down on my shoulder and I jumped. He was standing and he took the time to help me stand up. He was looking at me with the same look of wonder Frypan had. The boy was staring at me too. I wrapped my arms around myself. I didn't like this much attention. Why were they looking at me? I had just stitched Frypan's hand. It wasn't a big deal.

"I'm one of the best Medjacks here and I can't stitch worth a klunk. That was amazing," Clint said.

"I think we found you a new worker," Alby said.

"Good that," Clint responded.

"And you Lise? How about being a Medjack?"

I looked at Alby, turned to the window to gaze at the Maze. I wasn't going to get out there right now no matter what I said. I turned back to Alby. Gaining his trust. Teaching him I could take care of myself and others. I looked at Frypan leaning back on the bed with his eyes closed, I could at least help as many of the boys living here as possible in the process. That's what I needed to do. I looked back up at Alby.

"Good that?"


	4. The West Wall

I sat staring at the doors on the South walls of the Maze. This was my third week in the Glade and everyone had managed to develop a normal way of living with me here. I had become the unofficial den mother here. Most of the boys listened to me just like they listened to Newt or Alby. I had little to do unless someone needed medical attention and right now no one needed me. I had taught Clint as much as I could and he was almost as good as I was now. His friend Jack was learning now as well.

"You know staring at the door won't make me let you out there."

Alby's voice broke into my train of thought and I looked up at him with a small smile on my face. He sat down next to me and placed his arm around my back so I could lean against him. He had become like my big brother. Come to think about it so had Frypan. They were my favorite Gladers. The only issue was I was their favorite, their little sister. It meant I did very little without at least one of them Okaying it. Every day for the last week I had asked him to let me go out and run the Maze just once. The people who sent us here, locked us away had even sent running shoes in my size, but every time I asked he gave me a stern no.

"I know. It's just when I look out the door I feel that much closer to remembering what I feel I'll find out there," I said wistfully.

"You'll only give yourself another migraine," he sighed. About a week ago I had sat here so long and focused so intensely on trying to remember I gave myself a head splitting migraine. Once it started it took nearly a day to end. It hit me so hard I curled up in a ball right here and had to wait for someone to find me. Once I was found they moved me to my room I share with Newt. I had to lay in complete silence with a blanket over the window to make it darker. Ably visited me four times that day to sit with me in silence and make sure I wasn't dying and Frypan came back three times with food and water, but I barely touched the food and hardly drank half the water.

"I don't care," I grumbled. "I feel like once I'm out there I can-"

"No. I will say it every day. You will not pass that door. Lise since you got here everything seems to run smother. I can't risk that. I can't risk you. None of us can lose you to the Maze. Ever. Please stop asking. I want to give you what you want, but I… just can't."

I closed my eyes in pain. I had such conflicting emotions about what I wanted to do and what I needed to do. These boys had become rather dependent on me in such a short time. I was a good peace maker and pain soother. Most of the boys were my age, but they had to take care of themselves before I came here now I pull some of the weight off of their shoulders. I could take care of the little hurts they wouldn't normally mention and I didn't make fun of them for it.

"I know. Don't you think I know that? I would have run out into that Maze by now if you guys didn't need me. If I didn't need you guys," I said rubbing my eyes and trying to suppress the headache I could feel growing.

He reached over and pulled my hands from my eyes with his free hand. The corners of his mouth were turned down in a frown and his eyes were filled with concern. I knew he wasn't going to let me do anything else today. He was too worried I would hurt myself somehow.

"You know that only makes it worse. Why don't you go-"

Screaming from our right cut him off mid-sentence. Alby was on his feet in an instance and I was on his heels as we ran towards the west wall and the source of the screaming. As the west door to the Maze came into view my heart leap into my throat. Gally was on the ground bleeding right beside the opening and just down the Maze walls turning right I could make out the back of a Griever. Had the Griever killed Gally? Boys who worked with Gally were screaming and running towards Homestead I could barely make out the word stung and Gally's name in their frantic voices. What did that mean?

I reached Gally and fell to my knees, but before I could touch him Alby yanked me back up. I struggled against his hold. Gally needed help couldn't he see that? Why was he holding me away?

"Let me go!"

"Lise," Alby snapped. "You haven't dealt with this. You have no idea what to do! Clint and Jeff have handled this."

My co Med-Jacks showed up at that exact moment and knelt next to Gally. They began talking swiftly and other boys began to show up and crowd around. I was still struggling against Alby's hold to help when I apparently switched hands. For a split second I thought Alby let me go then another pair of strong hands took hold of my shoulders and held me in place. Alby stepped around me and knelt next to Jeff and Clint to move Gally.

"What's happening?"

"Was he stung?" Stung? What were they talking about.

"There's no way! It's the middle of the day!"

The other's voice began to turn frantic and many started to yell. Alby stood quickly and addressed the boys in the crowd.

"Enough! We don't know how this happened! Yelling and panicking is not going to help. Go get back to work."

He bent down and help Clint and Jeff lift Gally's limp form the ground. The other boys haven't moved and Alby yelled for them to get a move on. They scattered back towards the various spots where they had to work. The trio began to carry Gally away towards the Homestead, and my desperate need to be helpful grew. I had to help I might be clueless as to what was happening, but I had to help somehow. I tried to pull away from the hands holding me again, but it was useless.

"Let me go," I gasped. "There's only one useful thing I can do here! I have to help! Please!"

"You can't do anything about this," Newt's voice answered next to my ear. "You can't be around Gally right now. Greenies can't see what the Changing is. Please clam down. Alby just wants to protect you."

"But I have to help," I nearly sobbed. My knees gave out and Newt helped lower me to the ground. The other boys were gone we were alone sitting by the west wall. I didn't want Newt to see me cry. Since I got here we had been avoiding each other. I felt odd in presence. Like it was my second nature to be with him, but it was new and unfamiliar at the same time. It made me queasy and I hated it. "It's all I'm good for here."

I sat facing the West Door and Newt was crouching next to me. I could just barely make out his face from the corner of my eye. He was watching me intensely. Like her was trying to memorize the way I looked. Or maybe he was trying to figure out what to say to me. I rubbed my eyes with my hands and stood up in one quick motion. I had to do something. I let my gaze linger on the corner where the Griever had disappeared around.

I could follow it. See where it went. I could be helpful out there if I couldn't in here. I took three steps forward tensed my leg muscles to start running. I was ready to go out there, but I never took the forth step. Newt grabbed hold of my wrist and pulled me back into his chest to hold me still. The odd familiar yet foreign feeling made my stomach clench, but I had more to deal with at the moment. Tears filled my eyes again. Why wouldn't anyone let me help them? All I wanted to do was help.

"What do you think you're doing," his voice sounded strained. "Do you realize what will bloody happen if you go out there? Alby won't have a choice. You'll be banished."

He sounded like he choked on the last word and forced me to sit down again. This time he kept a firm grip on my arms as he moved to crouch in front of me. I looked him straight in the eyes and waited. Waited for him to say anything.

He looked slightly put off by my tears, but I couldn't help myself anymore. I was going through a small emotional breakdown. It was a little ridiculous I knew that, but I felt so useless here, and I knew I should be doing something greater. Something more meaningful than bandaging cuts. After a little while Newt seemed to gather himself.

"I know you don't feel like you're doing much, and every time you turn around you're being turned down, but Lise," he sighed and released on of my arms to run his hand through his shoulder length hair. "You are doing so much more than you realize. You're making this place feel more like a home. More secure just by standing by to help everyone."

I shook my head and closed my eyes. "I just know I'm here for more than that."

"Lise-"

"No Newt," I whispered. "There is no way to make me feel better right now. I won't run into the Maze. You don't have to hold me anymore."

His hands feel from my arms and he sat down in front of me with his legs bent and hands resting on his knees. I left my eyes trace his legs trying to calm down. A thought struck me and I opened my mouth before I had a chance to stop myself from speaking.

"How did you get the limp?"

As soon as the words left my mouth I regretted them. I heard him suck air through his teeth and I winced internally.

"I'm sorry. You don't have to-"

"I got it running the Maze."

My eyes snapped up to his and I held my breath. He was Runner! I never knew that. He looked past me and began talking.

"It was a while before you got here. I ran the Maze everyday searching for some sort of way out, and every day I never found anything. It became a horrible cycle. I ran out and came back empty handed. It got to be too much. Running the Maze every day with no luck. I attempted to end it one day. That was the last day I entered the Maze."

Once he stopped talking we sat in silence. I watched his face searching for any sign that he was going to acknowledge my presence, but he just stared past me caught up in his own head. Looking at his face something began to stir at the back of my mind. A memory? I tried to concentrate on it bring it to the forefront of my mind.

"Lise!" I winced at the sound of Alby's voice and the memory slipped through my fingers. I sighed internally and turned my head to look behind me. Alby was quickly approaching us.

"Lise. We have Gally settled. You can come and learn about the Changing," he said reaching down to help me up. I reached up and he assisted me. I turned to Newt and offered to help him up. Once he was standing he said goodbye to us and headed towards the Gardens. I watched him leave as I began towards the Homestead. This place had more secrets than I thought.


	5. The Dream

Okay I am super sorry about how long this took to post, but I have had a really long two week in college. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

* * *

The walls had closed about an hour ago and Newt still hadn't come in from the gardens. I had taken care of Gally for most of the day under the supervision of Clint. He had explained to me the basics of the changing and had me secure Gally so he wouldn't hurt himself when it actually hit him. I was sitting in the room I shared with Newt on the floor waiting for him to come back so I could sleep. If I fell asleep before he got here he would wake me up and It would take me a while to fall back to sleep.

I fell back onto the pillow that was on the floor and rubbed me eyes. I was exhausted my nerves were fried and all I wanted was to sleep. I yawned and rolled onto my side on the floor trying to get comfortable. Normally I slept on the bed because Newt would beat me to the room and nab the floor before I could. It's not like I want to sleep on the floor, but it was originally Newt's room and he deserved to sleep on the bed at least every so often. The second week I was here we fought rather loudly about it until Alby came in told us to shuck it before he made us sleep with the deadheads.

I shifted around a little and stretched my feet out savoring the way my muscles felt as I did. I settled back down and sighed in frustration. Why was he taking so long? If this lasted too much longer I wouldn't be able to stay up. I stared up at the ceiling and allowed my mind to wander aimlessly. My eyelids began to drift, but I opened them again and went over some medical procedures in my head. I imaged how to do them, what I would need, if I could do it alone...

A blood curdling scream jerked me up off the floor and I scrambled to my feet. Gally. I fumbled in a fear induced haze to the door and jerked it open only to run straight into Newt's chest. He caught me before I fell to the floor, but I just pushed him away when another scream broke the silence of the night. I was half way down the hallway when Newt grabbed my hand and pulled me to a stop.

"Clint is already there. There's not much you can do. It's a waiting game at this point."

I stared back at him searching his face for anything to calm myself down, and I found it. He was so cool and collected even though he looked more exhausted then I felt, and his eyes told me that it would be alright even though right now it wasn't even close. Gally screamed again and I winced in pain. I wanted to help him, to soothe him, but if Newt said there wasn't anything I could do…then there really must not be anything I could do. Newt shook his head sadly and began walking towards our room dragging me along with him.

I closed the door behind me leaving us in near darkness the only light coming from a dwindling candle I had by the window. Newt dropped my hand when the door clicked shut behind us and began towards the pillow and blanket on the floor. I zipped around him and beat him there. I wasn't going to win and lose this shuck game in the same night. I sat there and looked up at him, and he starred down at me clearly annoyed.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Sleeping on the floor," Gally screamed again and I winced. "You look exhausted so I think you should sleep on the bed."

"I'm not going to make you sleep-"

"You're not making me. I'm choosing to," I cut him off.

"No," he reached down to grab me.

"No back," I grumbled and avoided his hands.

"Lise, this is not-" He gripped my arm and attempted to pull me up, but I pulled back and managed to pull him to the floor accidentally. He landed half on top of me and grunted in pain when he hit the floor.

I gasped in shock and wriggled around to get his knee off of my thigh and his elbow off of my stomach.

"Why do you have to bloody do this? All I'm trying to do is be nice and let you sleep on the bed. Is that really too much," he asked in a frustrated growl sitting up beside me.

"I don't need to be coddled Newt! I can handle sleeping on the floor for a few nights."

He sighed in annoyance and looked at me with something similar to a glare on his face. I smiled super sweetly back and waited for him to respond.

"I am not coddling you. I think it' impolite to make a girl sleep on the floor."

I just sat there waiting watching him in the dim light of the candle. He was going to have to come up with something other than politeness to make me move off the floor. He looked me straight in the eye and waited as well. That odd feeling was making itself known in my stomach and a headache began to form between my eyes. I felt like this had happened before, not this particular fight, but this staring contest we had begun. I squinted a little to try and relieve the pain, but it didn't help.

He ended up being the one to cut the contest short by grumbling in annoyance and standing up. I took that as a win on my part and began to settle on the floor, but I had barley settled down before he basically picked me up and dumped me on the mattress. My anger flared up and I sat up to tall him off, but snapped my mouth shut just as quickly when he joined me on the bed. My eyes grew super wide and I flounder for something to say, but he didn't seem to have the same issue.

"Neither of us are going to give up, so I figure that instead of us both sleeping on the floor this was the more comfortable alternative."

In the candle light at this angle I could barely see his face, but it looked like he was being serious. It wasn't the worst idea. I didn't exactly like it, but this way I sort of win right? The bed wasn't huge, but it could fit at least two people comfortably and I was exhausted. I didn't want to fight anymore. I just wanted sleep.

"Okay, but if I find out that you moved when I wake up you'll wish you were a piece of klunk when I'm done with you."

He looked at me with narrowed eyes. I had guessed his game that quick man was I good. He was going to have to put up with it. I wasn't an easy one to out smart.

"Fine."

"Good that," I said and made myself comfortable. Gally's screams continued in the other room, and I had a hard time falling asleep. Once I almost got up to check on him again, but Newt stopped me. I had a hard time sleeping. All I wanted to do was sleep, but I couldn't quite catch it. Between Newt's proximity and Gally's screams I wasn't sure how I was going to sleep, but I must have managed it somehow.

* * *

I was looking at the Glade smiling softly. These silly boys were actually making it work. They were working together. I tapped the screen with my finger lightly to move some of the images around until I found him. He had already managed to become a rather important figure there and he had barley been there a week. Sadness welled up inside and I looked up to stare across the room to avoid the threatening tears.

Thomas was tapping away at this screen and just a few computers down Teresa was flipping around windows and coping information. I shook my head and returned to monitoring the boys. They had set up a whole system already in just a few months, and I was so proud of them. She could care less about that. She was happy that today they sent three boys into the Maze to look for anything to help them. I was devastated. I was hoping that the window to the Maze would stop them. That they would never leave the Glade, but that didn't happen.

I ran my hand along the screen and let my finger linger on his face. He was doing so well. I wish we hadn't sent him yet. It meant I wasn't going to be able to talk to him again. I sighed and switched screens to watch the three boys in the Maze. They were making good progress, but they hadn't turned around yet. If they didn't soon then the Maze would close.

"Lise," her voice caused me to jump and I looked up at her. She was looking at the screen a few left of mine. "The Gates will close soon. Please make the arrangements for tonight."

I sat staring at her for a moment, but I stood and walked over to the control center to boot it up. They had half an hour. I set the timer and walked back to my seat. If they turned around now and walked quickly they would just make it. I willed it to happen, and then it did. I sighed in relief and relaxed into my seat.

They almost made it, but one of the boys on the way back tripped on a vine and sprained his ankle. So one of the other ran ahead to get help while the other tried to half carry the wounded boy. Fear gripped my heart as I watched, but I couldn't allow it to show on my face. The first boy made it and began gather a few others to help, but by the time they went to go back out the gates had shut. I watched as those two boys were pulled apart by the monsters I helped design.

Her hand landed on my shoulder and she bent to look at the screen smiling.

"This was a successful trail run of the Maze," she looked at me, and I must have given something of my feeling away because she felt the need to remind why we were here. Why this had to happen. "Remember Lise, Wicked is good."

* * *

I fell out of bed and onto the floor. I sat up quickly in a haze and looked around it was barely light enough to see a few feet in front of me, so it meant no one was up yet. I listened for Gally's screams, but I couldn't hear anything maybe he was alright. That wasn't the reason I was up then. Maybe it was my dream. That was a weird dream, but what had I dreamt?

Whatever it was left an odd feeling in my chest, but I couldn't quite grasp the images from my dream. They were fluttering just out of my mental grasp then they were gone completely locked behind the impenetrable wall in my head. I looked at the bed now at my eye level and spotted Newt still asleep. For the first time I could look at him without the fear of being caught, and I did. He was a very handsome boy and he had such strong features when he was awake, but right now he looked almost softer in a way. It was a nice change. He looked so much younger when he slept, and for the first time since I got here I realized that we were all only kids. Kids in an impossible situation with horrible odds stacked against us. It made him not more attractive, but attractive in a different way.

Wait what?

When had I thought he was attractive at all? My cheeks burned and I looked away.

A guilty weight settled in my stomach not so much as for my last thought, but because he shouldn't have to be here, none of them should have. I stood and walked to the door. For whatever reason I felt like I was responsible for this. Heck maybe it was my fault. I shook my head and looked back at Newt one last time. That odd feeling filled my stomach again. Why did this happen? He was the only one who caused this to happen. Maybe I did something bad to him before coming here, and I felt guilty about it. Whatever it was I was going to find out eventually.

I left the room and walked to the room Gally was being held in. I was going to be helpful if I wasn't going to sleep. I began tending to him quietly wiping the sweat from his face and arms. Clint was sleeping on the floor, and I intended to allow him to sleep as much as possible. I gently removed the rope around one of his hands and tried to soothe the red lines there. I hadn't been there long before Gally actually woke up. He looked up at me with glazed over eyes for all of a few seconds before he started screaming.

"You! It's your fault! Why would you do this?"

Clint woke up and restrained Gally, but I was backing away. What did he mean? Why would he say that? I hadn't done anything. At least I thought I hadn't, but that feeling that I was somehow to blame for all the bad things here grew in my stomach. Newt appeared in the doorway with horrid bed head accessed the situation quickly. Gally was still screaming at me.

"Get out Lise. At least until we clam him down," he said walking towards the bed.

I didn't question for once. I simply ran out of the room.


	6. The Woods

I hope you guys like this chapter I swear I will eventually get to Thomas's arrival I'm just having so much fun writing Lise's background!

* * *

I raced past all the waking Gladers ignoring the call of my name from many of them and didn't stop until I reached the woods. Once I was under the cover of the leaves I slowed to a walk and made my way deeper into the woods without any real destination until I tripped over a root and crashed to the ground. I caught myself with my hands and stayed that way with my eyes squeezed shut tightly. I couldn't do anything right here! Why was I so useless!

I pounded my fist into the ground in anger. I was supposed to do something here! I could feel it. I knew I wasn't here just because. I sat up and leaned against the nearest tree in exhaustion. I let my head fall against the tree and closed my eyes again. I focused on my breathing and tried to calm down, tried to gain control of myself. I was sitting there for maybe three minutes before something ran across my legs.

I jumped up in fear and pressed against the tree looking around the ground for the culprit. My eyes landed on a silver thing on the ground. It looked almost like a lizard with red eyes, and it was staring straight at me. On its back in red was the word _WICKED._ A Beetle Blade. Alby had told me about them over lunch the first week I was here. He told me they wouldn't hurt me if I didn't bother it, but this seemed weird. _It's how they keep an eye on us. How they know what we need._ It made something close to a hiss sound and scuttled towards me.

I scrambled left against the tree to try and put distance between that thing and my feet. I watched as it followed me around the trunk, and panic's fierce grip closed around my throat. What was happening Alby never said it would attack me! I fumbled over fallen branches and turned to run out of the woods, but was stopped when another one of them appeared from under some leaves. In fear I turned to my left and sprinted away.

I could hear them running through the debris on the ground behind. A few seconds later the sounds completely stopped, and I turned my head to look behind me. They were gone. I ran straight into a solid body and fell to the ground.

I looked up to see one of the Gladers that avoided me still for the most part. I tried to remember his name, but there were still a few of the boys I had yet to commit to memory. He was looking down at me with a confused scowl on his face.

"What are you doing out here?"

"I was just- that doesn't matter. The beetle blades are acting weird-"

"You tried to touch one didn't you. You stupid girl. Didn't you listen to anything Alby told you?"

"Well I-"

"You think you're better than the rest of us? I saw you yesterday trying to go out into the Maze. You were going to leave us all here!"

What was this kid's problem? I hadn't done anything to offend him. At least I thought I hadn't. I stood up and wiped the dirt from my legs. I was just going to leave and let this become a distant memory.

"I remember your face you know. I've been through the changing, I don't remember many things and all of them are bad. The thing I remember the most though, he one thing that is clear as day, is your face," I stopped breathing and looked up at him. What was he getting at? He remembered me from before this? "I wasn't going to do anything because Alby said to keep away, but then Gally was stung. In the middle of the day at that. I started thinking. This never happened before why now? The only thing that's different," he paused and looked up at me. My stomach dropped when he meet my eyes. "Is you," He walked to his left no longer looking at me, but I felt stuck to the spot as if he were.

"You know how to get us out of here. I know you do because you're the one who put us here," he took a step towards me and I stepped back. He was losing it. "Tell me how to leave this place!" He flung his hand out and gripped my neck with his hands before I would react.

I sucked in a breath trough my teeth and tried to pry his hands from my neck, but it was impossible to move his hands. He pushed me back until my back it a tree and glared at me.

"Tell me! I know you know," He pressed harder and cut off my oxygen supply completely. I wasn't going to be able to force his hands away. I had to come up with a plan B. Black dots began to blot out my vision, and my mind reached frantically for an idea. I brought my knee up sharply and he crumbled to the ground releasing me.

I fell to my knees gasping for air and crawled away quickly before gaining my feet. I started to run while dodging trees without any direction in particular. I tried to call for help, but I could barely make a squeaking sound. I stopped against a tree try and catch my breath and listened for pursuit. I heard nothing, but I still didn't feel safe. I looked around to try and find where I was. There was only trees, anywhere I looked. I had no idea how to get out of here.

The sound of branches snapping under feet reached my ears, and panic set it. Why was this happening to me? What did I do before the Glade too deserve this _?_ I began to run again wheezing past the pain in my neck. _It's your fault._ Gally had woken up screaming at me, and now this kid. _You're the one who put us here._ They went through the changing. They remembered things. And what they remember was me.

Why. What horrible things had I done? Had I really put all these boys here to suffer? I shook my head. I wouldn't be here if I had. Would I? I squeezed my eyes closed. I couldn't do this right now. The crashing through the woods behind me became louder and I tried to pick up the pace. I could breathe better now, but my neck was throbbing, and it hurt to make noise.

"LISE!" Frypan's voice called from my left and I nearly fell in relief. I turned and began running towards his voice.

"Lise where are you? I know you're in here because I watched you run in here. I gave you some space, but it's time to come out now."

I stumbled over a tree root sticking out of the ground and caught myself on the next tree. I could still hear the boy behind me. I groaned internally and started to run again trying to call out to Frypan, but my throat was too scratchy to hear much.

"Shuck it Lise," Frypan called and I heard him start to stomp into the woods, "I hate coming in here. Where are you?"

I could just make out Frypan's form past the trees when I felt the boys hand grab my shirt and yank me back. I must have made some sort of noise loud enough for Frypan to hear because he called my name again. I crashed to the ground and he landed on top of me crushing the air out of my lungs. He flipped me over so I was facing him while I struggled to regain oxygen.

"Lise! Where are you?"

"Tell me," The boy over me yelled. "Just tell how to get out of here!" He was almost begging me to tell him, but I didn't know any more than he did.

"Lise?"Frypan was defiantly closer. The boy looked up and back down to me and I clearly saw panic in his eyes.

"Please," I wheezed. "I don't know."

Anger replaced the fear and before I knew what was happening his hands were back on my neck.

"Don't lie to me!"

"Hey! Get off of her you," Frypan growled and then the boy's weight was no longer holding me down and I sat up coughing. Frypan basically flung the boy across into a nearby tree and locked him there. "What do you think you're doing? Huh? You don't touch! Don't you ever touch her again! Alby will hear about this!"

"Frypan," I gasped standing up holding my neck and wincing in pain. It was becoming harder to talk. "Frypan please," I walked over and tried to pull him away. I didn't want him to hurt the boy. He was just confused and afraid. He needed help not a beating.

Frypan turned his head to look at me, but his eyes locked on my neck instead of my face. The anger on his face turned to pure fury and for a second I was afraid, but he turned back to the boy. He punched the boy in the stomach and let him fall to the ground.

"Frypan!" I gasped.

"Don't you even think about going anywhere," Frypan growled and turned to me. He winced at the sight of my neck. "Oh Lise," he murmured. "What did he do to you?" He reached out and I flinched involuntarily. Frypan looked hurt for a second, but then seemed to right himself.

"Let's get you to Homestead. Newt and Alby have been looking for you since you ran off."

He reached down and gently took my hand and started to lead me out of the woods. I felt so much safer, so much better with someone I trusted around I all of a sudden felt too tired to walk. I stumbled, almost fell to my knees, but Frypan caught me. Everything hurt now. Every part of my body felt overused.

"Hey, Lise," he grunted as he caught me. "Oh, sweetie," he muttered. "I swear if I a choice he would be able to-"

"Please Frypan, don't," I rasped.

He sighed and picked me up in one quick motion. I gasped in surprise and began to refuse the help, but he shook his head. I gave up and let my head fall to his shoulder. I was too tired to argue. I let my eyelids close, I could just let my eyes rest for a bit.

* * *

I woke up to a shadow leaning over me. Panic set in before I had a chance to think and I sat up trying to scream, but only a croak passed from my lips. I scrambled back until my back hit the wall behind me, and threw my hands out.

"Lise! Stop it's me!"

I knew that voice. It was Newt's voice. I dropped my hands and focused on finding Newt's eyes. I needed to know that he was actually here. In the dwindling light from the window and flickering light of the candle it took me longer than I cared to admit. When I found his eyes my will crumbled I fell forward he caught me in his arms. He sat down and pulled me closer gently as I started to shake. Too much. Too much had happened since yesterday morning.

"Lise," he murmured quietly. "You're alright. It's okay." He rubbed my back soothingly, but I shook my head and buried my face into his chest. I just wanted to pretend nothing had happened. That I wasn't currently a walking mess.

"Hey, Lise everything will be okay. Stephen is locked away right now. He can't hurt you."

Guilt landed among the rest of my feelings and I squeezed my eyes shut. Newt sighed and shift around until I was settled almost in his lap and pulled me away from him a little to look me in the eye. He sighed and moved the hair from my face and off of my neck.

"He did a number on your neck," he said and under the concern I could hear anger in his voice. He gently touched the side of my neck and his eyes were a swirl of emotion. The door opened and we jumped in surprise.

"Newt the decision-" Alby entered the room, but froze when he saw me.

"Lise," he strode across the room and sat on the bed opposite Newt and beside me. He lifted his hand and I flinched involuntarily. Alby's face tightened, but he didn't drop his hand. He lightly ran his hand along the bruises on my neck, almost as if he thought he could wipe them away. His hand fell and he looked at Newt quickly before returning his eyes to me.

"Lise there has been a decision made about Stephen," my face must have portrayed my confusion because before I managed an attempt to speak Alby answered my unspoken question. "The council has decided that he must be banished for attacking you."

My blood froze in my veins. They were going to kill Stephen for what he did. I shook my head. They couldn't do that.

"No," my voice sounded like I took sandpaper to my throat. "He..scared..can't."

"Lise he attacked you for a shuck reason," Alby said frowning. I shook my head again.

"I'm…fine."

"That doesn't matter-"

I threw my hand up to stop him from talking. He couldn't allow this boy to die just for this. I knew it was bad, but he was scared and people do stupid things when their scared. That didn't warrant a death penalty. I tried to speak again, but Alby stopped me this time.

"Slim it greenie," anger rose in my chest. He called me that on purpose the shank. "The decision's been made. There is no changing it. Tomorrow will be Stephen last day in the Glade."

Alby stood and started to the door. Just before he left he turned back to address me.

"I voted to let him stay," surprise pushed my anger to the back burner. "I knew you wouldn't want him banished. You're weird like that. I tired Lise, but the council has decided. I'm sorry." Then he left the room and closed the door.

I looked at Newt, but he raised his hands. "I didn't go to the Gathering this time."

I looked away, he hadn't voted he wasn't going to get the third degree from me. Upon closer inspection of the room I realized this wasn't our room. Why wasn't I in our room? I turned back to Newt.

"Room?"

"Clint wanted you closer to Gally so he could travel between rooms quickly. Jeff has had to deal with one of the Slicers. He got distracted and cut his arm accidentally. Do you want to go to our room?"

I nodded and began to stand grabbing the candle in the window, but before I could get far Newt picked me up.

"Clint said you needed to relax for a few days," he said as we left the room and proceeded towards ours.

He set me down on the bed and helped move the blanket. I settled in, but didn't lay down. I was tired and hurt all over I didn't want to sleep alone. Newt stood over me waiting, probably for me to lay down, but I couldn't yet. I didn't know how to ask Newt. I could tell he was getting impatience because he began to rearranging the blanket. I twisted my hands.

"You don't have to wake up early tomorrow. Alby said you get a day off, the next day too if you need it," he began to walk away, but I reached out and grabbed his hand.

"Don't…want to…be alone," I forced out and winced at the resonating pain. Newt's head swung back to me and his eyes locked with mine. I dropped my eyes and my checks heated, but I refused to let go of his hand.

"Good that," he said and his voice sounded full of what I thought was relief.

He removed his hand from mine and walked around the bed to lay down next to me. He settle on his back, but turned his head to me expectantly. I watched him for another second before turning to the candle and blowing it out. I settled next to Newt and stared at the ceiling. I felt better, but I still couldn't seem to sleep. I turned my head to look at Newt, I wanted to ask if- he turned to me and our eyes meet. In the three second our eyes meet he moved his hands and I rolled closer to him. I pressed myself against the left side of his body and set my head on his chest.

Shivers ran through my body I wasn't sure what caused them my exhaustion catching up to me or being this close to Newt. His left arm fell down to warp around my back and his right rubbed my arm. We stayed like for a while just soothing each other with our presence, and eventually I felt my nerves settle. Newt's heartbeat was so calming and…familiar that it lulled me to sleep as soon as I relaxed. I think I was becoming addicted to Newt's presence. He was like a drug. As soon as I had a taste I wanted the whole thing.


	7. The Banishment

I would like to thank Martine9295, Red Raven05, and a guest reader for commenting on my last chapter! I'm so glad you all liked it! Here's the next one hope you like it and leave your thoughts!

* * *

A finger poked my temple and I groaned in annoyance. I wanted to sleep, just five more minutes. Someone chuckled, and my head moved with the action. Confused I lifted my head groggily and looked around. Newt was staring at me with a small smile on his face.

"Good morning Greenie," he said. My face heated when I realized I spent the entire night using Newt as a pillow, but I tried to ignore it.

"I'm not-" I winced at the pain and touched my neck. I had forgotten.

Newt's eyes followed my hand and his entire demeanor changed. His eyes, so happy a moment before, became a swirl of emotions, and his lips turned down into a frown. He meet my eyes with his and I felt almost guilty for being the cause of his turmoil.

"Lise I know you don't want Stephen to be banished, but he has to be. He nearly killed you," I shook my head. He had to understand-he grabbed the sides of my head with his hands and made me look at him. "Lise, you need to understand this. I know you don't want to, but he crossed a line."

"Newt," I croaked, I wanted so badly to tell him how wrong he was, but he wasn't having any of it. His anger seemed turned against me when he continued.

"You nearly died Lise," he seemed to snarl. "Why can't you see that? Frypan brought you in last night and you were dead. You weren't bloody breathing. You were so pale," He stopped talking and dropped back onto the bed breathing heavily. He shook his head and dragged his hand down his face, but I was staring at him in shock. I hadn't realized I looked that bad when Frypan saved me.

"Newt," I tried again, but he raised his hand and shook his head again. I frowned he was going to hear me out whether he wanted to or not. I reached out and grabbed his chin so he would look at me.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, it hurt less. "I'm okay though."

He shook his head and pulled me down to lay on his chest again. My face heated and I tried to look up at him, but I couldn't see his face. His heart beat was faster than normal, was he that worried about me? He took a deep breath and put his chin on the top of my head.

"You scared me," he said softly. "I thought you were a deadhead for sure. Stephen deserves what he's getting. I'm sorry it's not what you want, but Lise, he can't stay. I can't be worried that every time you turn a corner you could be killed."

I forced my way onto my elbow and glared at him. I could handle myself dammit. Why couldn't he see that? He looked at me for a second and I could tell he was anticipating what I was going to say. I wasn't going to let him cut me off with words again, and he knew it. So he didn't use words. Instead he cut me off and left me speechless with one action. He pushed up onto his elbow and placed his lips on mine. For all of three seconds I was frozen, every one of my muscles were locked down in surprise, but then they melted.

My body felt like it was on fire, and that feeling, that wonderful feeling, was rampaging through my body again. I responded to him and he took it in stride. He pulled me closer and I gripped the front of his shirt with my free hand. I don't think I could have let go for the life of me. That is until the door was slammed open and Newt jumped back in surprise and put his body half in front of me.

"Ha! I found her Clint! Told you she would be in here," Jeff's voice bellowed down the hall.

Newt huffed in annoyance, but his chest was still rising and falling rapidly. I felt exactly like he did, but my head was such a mess I could barely form a thought.

"Newt why didn't you-" Jeff voice cut off mid-sentence, and I looked up to see why.

His face was turning red and he smiled awkwardly before turning and trying to rush out the door only to run into Clint. Jeff started to mutter something, and pushed his way out of the room and down the hall. Clint looked down the hall after Jeff for a moment before focusing on us.

"Lise I've been looking for you all morning. Newt said he would-" He stopped speaking as well and tilted to the side frowning at us. He shook his head, a small smile formed on his lips, and he leaned against the door frame. "Newt, you shank. You said you would watch her, not move her without telling me."

Newt leaned back against the wall regaining his composure and let his left arm fall behind me. Clint's eyes followed at the action and his smile grew a little bit more. My face heated about ten degrees.

"Slim it Clint. It was late, I couldn't find you, and she didn't want to be in the other room."

Clint turned his head towards me, and I nodded to confirm what Newt said. I didn't have the energy to attempt talking loud enough for him to hear that far away.

"Good that," He paused and stood there for a moment. He clearly wanted to say something, but he must have thought better of it. "I'll go tell Alby where you are Lise," He left and closed the door behind him.

It was silent for a minute while I stared at the door and I could fell Newt's eyes on me, but I couldn't bring myself to look at him just yet. Eventually I got the courage to face him and I turned to look him in the eye. That feeling resurfaced in my stomach, I shifted around a little, and rubbed my neck gently.

"I," I started, but he stopped me.

"No you don't," He said frowning. He reached out and gently touched my neck. "Don't just brush this off," He looked up at me. "You sound bloody horrid. It must really hurt. Just…don't brush any of this off."

I felt my face heat again and looked down at his hand now settled between us. I reached out and played with his fingers. I would let this morning settle, and I wouldn't brush it off. My lips tingled and I pressed them together.

"What are you thinking?"

"That your hands are about three times the size of mine," my voice sounded so harsh, I hated it.

"Oh," laughter had entered his tone again. "Well you know what they say about the size of a man's hands…"

I frowned a little, what was he getting… Oh… _Oh_. I dropped his hand involuntarily and he began laughing hysterically. My face was once again on fire. I had meant to change the subject, not make me feel awkward as hell.

The door was flung open once again, but this time Alby was standing in the doorway. He was annoyed about something, but he didn't look much like sharing.

"Newt you have things to do. I said Lise could have a day off not you. If the other shanks find out you skipped out on work we would never hear the end of it."

"Yea, yea Albs I'm going," Newt said standing.

I followed Newt's example and got out of bed. I hadn't planned on taking the day off anyway. It left too much time to think, and now it would mean too much time in this particular room thinking about one particular boy.

"You don't have to get up Lise, why are you," Newt asked watching me.

I shrugged instead of answering that would have made the awkwardness in the room too much to bare. I pulled on my shoes and quickly slipped past the two boys.

"Lise," Alby called and I stopped to look at him. He looked apologetic. "Gally doesn't want you to be near him. Clint thinks it's a good idea," the hurt I felt must have registered on my face because Alby went on in a rush. "At least until the changing is completely over and Gally can be around others."

I sighed waved my hand and headed to the stairs. I would just find something else to do.

* * *

I fell down to lay on the grass three hours later annoyed as hell. I went around to almost every Glader and offered to help them with _anything_ , and all of them, every shucking one, said they were good. I glared up at the sky, why was it so hard for me to be helpful here? Even Frypan had turned down my offer because he believed I shouldn't be working in my condition. I mean really I had a bruised neck and it hurt to talk, it wasn't like I was hindered from physical activity because of it.

I remained there for a while and I lost track of time watching the cloudless sky for a little while. That boy's face popped to the front of my mind and I sat up to hug my knees. The North door was in front of me and I stared out into the Maze as far as I could. He was going to die because of me. I picked at the ground, I couldn't let that happen. Maybe I could convince Alby to change the councils mind. Newt was on the council though and he seemed pretty adamant that Stephen shouldn't be here.

The thought of Newt reminded me of this morning and my lips reminded me just how much I enjoyed the kiss. I didn't want Stephen to be banished, but I wasn't sure how to convince Newt it wasn't the right course of action. I sighed and sat there my mind fluttering between Newt and ways to save Stephen. I don't know how long I was there for, but eventually my thoughts were pulled short when a hand with a sandwich blocked my view of the Maze. I followed the arm attached to it until I reached Newt's face, and smiled softly.

"Thought you'd be hungry it's past lunch time and Frypan said you haven't eaten yet."

I grabbed the offered food and took a large bite of it. I hadn't been hungry until he had shown up, but now I was starving. He sat down next to me on the ground close enough for our legs to touch and he placed his left arm behind my back to lean on. My face heated for the millionth time today and the odd feeling fluttered to life in my stomach.

"What have you been up to? I haven't seen you talking to anyone for a while."

I shrugged starring out in front of me and took another bite of my sandwich. I probably shouldn't tell Newt I spent half the day thinking about ways for Stephen to stay. Nor should I tell him I spent the other half thinking about this morning. Guilt must have shown on my face though because his tone hardened when he addressed me next.

"You don't want to share?"

I shook my head and looked down at the rest of my sandwich in my hands. His arm behind my back nudged me until I looked up at him. His eyebrows were raised in question and his lips were pressed into an annoyed line. He was not going to let it go until I answered him. I looked out at the Maze and squeezed my eyes shut for a moment.

"He doesn't deserve-" I never got to finish my sentence.

"Lise," Newt basically growled in frustration. "He attacked you without reason. He's completely jacked! He deserves what's coming to him. Had I been at the gathering I would have voted for his banishment."

I turned my head away from him, Stephen had been scared. People do crazy things because of fear. Newt sighed and nudged me with his arm again.

"Lise, please don't do this to yourself. You haven't even eaten half of your sandwich."

I shook my head and handed him my sandwich. I wasn't that hungry anymore and it hurt to swallow. He sighed again, but didn't force me to finish the food. We sat like that for a while, eventually I leaned my body against Newt's because I was tired and I didn't want him to leave me alone. I was upset he didn't see the situation my way, but I couldn't blame him. It was a very bad situation.

* * *

That night about half an hour before the doors were due to close and Stephen was sentenced to death Minho approached me with a box in his hands. I was sitting just outside the homestead waiting for Newt to come get me before the banishing starts. Minho sat next to me and placed the box in my lap.

"These are the shoes they've been sending for you. Took me a while, but I convinced Alby that you needed these. Nobody else can fit in them. Alby says you still can't enter the Maze, but I think you should practice running anyway," He turned his head to watch some of the boys walking by. "I think ou should be out there. If you have a gut feeling you should follow it. Just don't break the rules to do so," He looked back to me. "Just make sure you're in shape to go out there if you're ever needed Greenie. Good that?"

I pouted when he called me Greenie, but he wanted me to go into the Maze. He was on my side, so I couldn't be mad at him. I reached my hand out took his hand and gripped it tightly to show him that I agreed. He smiled and patted my shoulder before standing and making his way to get food. I opened one of the boxes and witched my old shoes for my new ones. I stood and tested them out, they were much more supportive than I thought.

"Why are you bloody wearing those," Newt's voice made me look up. He was staring at me feet. "If Alby decided to let you go-"

I waved my hand and shook my head. "He just gave me the shoes," I whispered hoarsely. He didn't seem any happier about it, but he dropped the subject.

"Alby said you didn't have to go tonight if you don't want to," Newt said.

Anger bubbled in my chest and I crossed my arms. I was not going to sit by while they sent a boy to his death because of me. I was going, and I was going to try my hardest to keep that boy here.

"I'm going," I tried to sound forceful, but my voice just didn't have the strength to be louder than a faint whisper. Newt didn't look happy about it, but he didn't argue the point either. Smart man. He walked away to talk to a few of the boys I knew were keepers and I brought my other shoes upstairs. When I came back down everyone had started to move towards the East door. I followed them slowly because I needed time to think. I had a plan, but it was far from fool proof.

"Hey Sweetie, what you doing all the way back here," Frypan asked as he fell in step with me.

"Just thinking."

"You sound like klunk," Anger darkened Frypan's face while he spoke. I don't think I had ever seen him this mad. "That slinthead deserves to be banished," He gave me a side long glance. "Newt says you're trying to get him outta trouble. Are you?"

I pursed my lips and didn't say anything. Frypan sighed and remained silent as we made our way to the East door. A few of the Runners were still in the Map Room, so we were waiting for them to exit before everything got started. I left Frypan for a moment to walk up to Alby near the front of the group standing next to Winston and Newt. He noticed me, looked at Newt, and stepped away from the other two.

"Lise, I know what you're going to say, but I can't. The Keepers deiced," I tried to tell him about my ideas, but I didn't even get the chance. "Slim it Lise. There is nothing you can do, I'm sorry."

A hand wrapped around my left arm and I looked over in surprise. Minho pulled me away and forced me to stand in the crowd.

"If you want Alby to let you out into the Maze you have to follow the rules," he said under his breath. "Even the ones you don't like."

"But-"

"Slim it. This is happening."

I glared up at him until more hands grabbed my arms. Jeff stood beside me with an apologetic look on his face. Minho turned and walked away.

"Newt asked me to make sure you don't do anything. I'm sorry Lise, but I have too," he said almost apologetically.

I glared at Newt's back as he walked off towards the Garden tool shed. That shank was on thin ice. He came back with a pole, and on the end was a collar. All of my emotions just stopped. My brain quit functioning. A few boys appeared walking next to Stephen not pulling him. Not even touching him. It seemed that he wasn't even going to fight this. I tried to step forward, they couldn't do this! Jeff stopped me. The other Runners excited the Map Room, and everything went into motion. The collar was attached to Stephen's neck and Alby took the end. All the while Stephen didn't make a sound.

"Stephen of the Slicers, you've been sentenced to be banished for attempting to murder Lise of the Med-Jacks," I could feel the eyes of the boys on me, but I didn't stop trying to pull my arms from Jeff's grip if I could just make them see what I did this would all be over. Alby spoke up again. "The Keepers have spoken, and there ain't no chanting it. You ain't coming back," Alby paused and looked around at the other boys stopping to glare at a few before counting. "Keepers. Take your places."

Ten Keepers aligned on the pole, and then the doors began to close. I was struggling more than Stephen was, he actually began to walk forward. I stopped struggling than. He wasn't doing anything. Why. Did he want to die? He was outside the Glade and somehow he managed to turn himself around to look back in. His eyes were haunted. Whatever he remembered in the changing, it was bad. The doors were nearly shut. Jeff's hands loosened and I took the chance to run into the middle near the Keepers so I could see out of the closing gap.

Stephen's eyes met mine and he changed completely. The crazy boy from the woods was back.

"Don't let them die in here," He screamed just as the keepers pulled the pole back and the doors closed.

* * *

Sorry this took so long to post I struggled with this chapter, but eventually I was happy with it. I swear Thomas will enter the Glade either in the next chapter of the one just after that. This one is a little longer than the other chapters so I hope it makes up for how long it took to write it.


	8. The Plan

I was sitting in the woods hugging my legs to my chest staring at the new wooden cross with Stephan's name on it. Goosebumps covered my arms, not because I was cold. It was because everything Stephen had said was running through my mind. _I remember your face you know. You know how to get us out of here. I know you do because you're the one who put us here. Tell me how to leave this place!_ I couldn't get him out of my head, I just kept seeing his face. Angry, desperate, stone cold, he wouldn't leave me alone. I couldn't shake the feeling that he was right, that I was the monster who put them here. I pulled my legs tighter to my chest in an effort to fend of the cold, but it was useless.

 _Don't let them die in here!_

I flinched at the sound of moving leaves behind me, but didn't move. I had forgotten that Newt was still there. Still waiting for me to leave the woods. Even though his presence made me feel better I didn't want him near me for multiple reasons.I didn't want anyone here near me. If I had put them here than they would hate me, and I didn't think I could survive seeing hate reflected in there eyes instead of the boys I know now. I closed my eyes and tried to force Stephen out of my head. I couldn't let this haunt me, but my mind just wondered to last night.

After Stephen was banished everyone had started to go back to what they had been doing before the whole thing started, but I was too upset to just walk away. I felt the need to give Stephen some sort of real end so I had tracked down the Baggers. I had avoided everyone and side stepped the gorup Newt was walking to until I found them because I hadn't wanted to talk to anyone least of all Newt for what he had done. When I found the Baggers I asked them to make the cross, but they had awkwardly stood around and wasted time until New showed up. When he got there the three boys asked Newt before accommodating my request. At first I had been really mad about that on top of Newt telling Jeff to hold me down because I didn't belong to him dammit.

I sat there until they finished the cross seething before marching towards the woods. They hadn't even done a good job. They miscalculated how much space they needed to put Stephen's name on and just barely got the n on the cross. Newt had followed me and tried to convince me to go back to the homestead on the way there, but I had angrily told him to shove off as I walked. Eventually I found the graveyard in the dark by stumbling into another grave marker. I pushed the cross into the soft ground a while ago and sat down a few feet away to think. Newt had tried his best to get me to go back, but I ignored him until he walked away. At first I thought he was going to leave me alone in the woods and the Beetle Blades weird actions flashed through my mind and fear had begun to set in, but his footsteps stopped not far behind me and I relaxed once more.

That's how I spent the night, in the woods trying to get Stephen out of my head and failing completely. Maybe an hour ago the sun had began to shine through the leaves fist bathing me in a pale yellow hue than washing everything in green. Stephen face once again appeared in my head. He believed I could get them out, he actually believed I could get them out of here. What if I could? I needed to get out of the Glade to find that out. I sighed and stretched my legs out in front of me in the flickering light of the sun through the tree leaves. Like I was going to mange that anytime soon. I heard Newt more once more behind me, and his uneven footsteps began to approach me.

"Lise," he said gently crouching beside me. "Please come back to the homestead. You gave him a place here. Now please come back and get some rest."

"He thought I could save you guys," I said quietly through the lessening pain in my throat. "He went through the changing. He remembered things, and he thought... because I put you here...I can save you."

"Lise he was jacked in the-"

"No Newt," I snapped and winced at the pain, covering my neck. "You've all told me that the changing makes them remember things. What if when Gally woke up and stated screaming at me…what if... he remembered the same thing," I asked, and my eyes began to fill with tears. "What if I am the reason we are here? Ever since I got here I felt like I was supposed to help, but what if I'm here to ruin everything instead?"

"No Lise," Newt sighed and put an arm around my shoulders, but I pulled out of his embrace. I was not mad at him for last night anymore. I couldn't be, not after thinking all night about how I was to blame for all of this. How could I be mad at him if I was the reason he was suffering? I refused his reassurance for that reason. If everything was true I didn't deserve to be comforted. "Lise, you wouldn't be here if you were the reason all of us are here. You've only helped since you got here, so please don't do this to yourself. You've made this place brighter, a lot of the boys weren't happy until you showed up. You've defiantly been good for Albs, he's been less of a shank since you got here. Frypan too." He moved the hair out of my face and behind my ear gently, moving slowly as if he were dealing with a frightened animal. "You've made everything different, but it's all a good different." He tried to pull me against him again, but I just couldn't stand being held right now. I pulled away again and pulled my legs to my chest to rest my chin on them again. Newt sighed angrily this time and reached out once more. "Stop being so bloody difficult and let me hold you." He pulled me against his chest with my knees still pulled against my own and rested his chin on my head. I tried to pull away again, but he managed to keep me still.

My muscles began to shake and tears began to form in my eyes not from anger or from the cold, but from relief. Being in Newt's arms made me feel so safe. It made me believe that he was right and I wasn't responsible for all of this. If Newt believed I was good than maybe I was. I let him hold me, but I didn't retaliate his embrace because in the darkest part of my being the 'what if' was rotting me from the inside out. What if I was the reason? I had to know. Could I get these boys out of here? My eyes were burning from being up all night and every part of me was yearning for sleep. I relaxed against Newt's body, and the next thing I know he's picked me up. I was too tired to make him put me down, so I just let it happened.

"I know you're mad at me Lise," he said as he walked. "Just don't let that anger make you do something stupid. Just please be careful."

I huffed in annoyance, but I knew what he was warning me against. Trying to enter the Maze. I closed my eyes and let the exhaustion pull me into the darkness of sleep. I could handle everything, Stephen's accusations, Gally, the Maze, everything later when I wasn't so tired.

* * *

When I woke up I was alone in the room I shared with Newt. I remained on the bed for a while trying to keep my mind blank, but everything eventually forced it way into my mind and I could no longer stand just laying in bed. I sat up and located my shoes before heading downstairs slowly keeping my eyes and ears open for Newt or Alby. There were a few boys eating food there, but I ignored them. On the way down stairs I had decided that there was only one place to go right now. The Map Room. I needed to talk to Minho, and if he wasn't there I would wait for him until he was. As I walked across the Glade I kept look out for any boys looking at me and quietly made my way to the Map Room. I looked around carefully one more time and made sure no one was watching me as I tested the door. It was unlocked! I slipped inside the building and was immediately hit with the smell of old pennies, but no one was there. I was alone except for a lot of blank papers on the table in the middle of the room and eight trunks. Why would they need blank paper?

Along each wall there were two trunks, eight in all. I walked up to one of them and opened it. Inside were two stacks of papers and as I reached in and moved a few they all looked different except the section number and name on each piece. I put the few back and looked at the other trunks. I opened them all and the papers all looked similar, but the section number and name on each paper were different. They were squares. All slightly similar, and all slightly different. What were they for? I touched the top paper in the trunk I had open and was hit with a sudden idea. _They were mapping out the Maze_. I couldn't believe it. This long and they had mapped out the Maze everyday and had yet to find a way out. Was there even a way out? In my gut I knew there was a way out. I didn't know where, but I knew there was. Could I be so confident because I made the way out? Maybe I could figure it out. Maybe all this could jog my memory. I dropped the trunk lid and took a step back. If this did jog my memory it would prove I was a monster. Prove that I had put the boys here. I looked around the room once more and a pressing pain filled my chest. If I had put them here I had to at least try and remember the exit. I looked around at all the trunks once more and frowned in defeat. Even if I could jog my memory in here there were so many maps it would take forever to go over all of them. I shook the feelings off and walked to the next trunk. I owned it to all the boys to at least try.

I was looking in the trunk with papers labeled section one when the door opened and I dropped the lid in surprise. Minho was standing there anger etched into every line on his face. I stared like a deer caught in the head lights. I hadn't realized he would be so mad. Why had I done this? I could have waited until later to talk to him. Like when he was eating food and seemed more like a boy than an angry man.

"What are you doing in here Greenie," he nearly snarled.

I forgot how to make my mouth work, but somehow when finally got it open words came out. "I wanted to...um talk to you...because I...uh want to go out into... the Maze," I turned my head away a little bit almost wincing excepting him to answer with just as much venom as he had before, but he surprised instead.

He sighed and wiped a hand down his now wary face. His hands fell to his hips and he looked at me with his head bent just a little before he stuck up one finger to tell me to wait. I nodded and took a few steps back out of his way as he approached the table and sat down. He wrote a few things on it before beginning to draw, presumably the part of the Maze he ran today. I cautiously approached the seat next to him and sat down to wait as he drew out line after line. Once he was down he stood up and walked over to one of the trunks to set the paper down on top of one of the two piles inside. How did he work so hard with so little gained? How did he stay so...okay with it? He turned back to me and crossed his arms leaning on the trunk. He didn't say anything for a while just stared at me and I squirmed a little under his gaze. I wanted to say something, but my tongue didn't seem to be working.

"I left the door unlocked didn't I," he finally asked and in my haste to answer all I could do was nod. "Well this is my fault then," He sighed and stepped away from the trunk to lean against the table next to me. Sitting down I had to crane my neck much more than usual to meet his eyes. "Lise I'm not magical. I can't get you into the Maze just like that. Alby and Newt, two of the most influential guys here, have developed a strong need for your safety. It's not easy to convince them to just let you go out there. Have you even starting running yet," I shook my head. "How do you expect me to tell them you're ready if you haven't started running," I shrugged. I wish I had thought this out more before coming. "Well get your shuck self training. You have the shoes now run. Around the Glade till you can't run anymore. Form door to door as fast as possible. Anything to build your strength. To get you ready to be out there. Then do it again the next day until I finally get those two slintheads to agree. It'll take time, but I will get them to agree...eventually. Good that?"

I nodded and twisted my hands together trying to decide if I should tell him the rest. I meet his eyes once more. If I was going to make him my partner in crime he had the right to know about the past crimes I had been accused of.

"I had another reason for coming here," I said slowly still unsure. What if he decided to stop helping me. He gave me an expecting look so I went on. "I wanted to tell you why I want to go into the Maze so bad. I-" I paused and meet his eyes. I had to this. "I think I'm part of the reason you all are here," his face filled with confusion, so I rushed to continue. "Stephen and Gally both remember me from before the Glade and Stephen thought I put you boys here, and the more I think about it the more I believe it. So I think that if I can get out into the Maze I can remember where the exit is."

"Lise," Minho shook his head and crouched down in front of me shaking his head. My heart began to race. What if he really was going to stop helping me. "After the changing people aren't the same as they use to be," He said gently. He was being nice. I wasn't use to seeing this side of Minho. It was kind of weird. "Just because they thought they saw something doesn't mean it's what they actually saw. They could have seen you trapped with the rest of us before coming here and mixed everything up," I searched his eyes trying to find out if he actually believed what he was saying, and I found no trace of doubt. He really thought I might not be the reason they were here. Why did these boys put so much trust in me? "Now just relax okay, try to quiet talking so much so your neck actually has time to heal," He stood and opened the door for me. "You'll want to leave before the other Runners get here."

I smiled gently, stood up, and began walking to the door. He spoke just as I was passing the threshold.

"Don't let them find out why you're running or they'll never let you go."

I looked back at him and nodded once more before leaving the Map Room. I started to Homestead intending on getting my running shoes when my stomach growled rather loudly reminding me I had barely eaten in the last couple of days. So I turned and made my way to get food from Frypan. Minho was right I was no where near ready to be in the Maze. I would wait, and follow his lead. Frypan looked genuinely surprised to see me, but he smiled through his bread anyway and even came around to hug me.

"How ya feeling Sweetie?"

"I'm okay, starving, but okay."

"I think I can assist with that,"He smiled widely and pulled me behind the counter to get food.

He chatted with me about everything and nothing while I ate the fat sandwich he made me. It made me feel normal again, like nothing in the last three days had taken place. So when I was walking back to the Homestead I felt much better about...everything. I went back up into my room and opened the door to find a frantic Newt pacing the room.

He looked up when I opened the door and the next thing I know he's hugging me. He pulled back, closed the door and held me at arms length to look me in the eye. I stood there wide eyed confused and a little surprised by his actions.

"Where have you bloody been? I've been looking for you everywhere. I thought you went- I thought you were in the Maze and the doors were going to close soon. Shuck it Lise," He pulled away and looked me over. "Where were you?"

"Around," I whispered confused. I wasn't gone that long was I?

"Around," he said flabbergasted. "You were just around? If you'd been bloody 'around' I would have found you!"

He was breathing quickly and his face had started to turn red he was so mad. I stood there floundering for a good excuse.

"Alright, alright," I said walking around him and heading to the sneakers Minho gave me yesterday. "I was talking to Minho. I wanted to know exactly what he expected me to do with these shoes," half truths were as good as I was going to get. I felt bad, but I couldn't tell him what I had planned it would ruin everything. "He told me I could do whatever I wanted with them 'cause he had no other shucking use for them."

He came over and sat on the bed next to me. He watched me put on the shoes, but he didn't say anything even though he clearly looked like he wanted to. He reached out and placed his hands on mine as I was tying the laces to catch my attention, and yesterday morning popped to the forefront of my mind. My face heated up and I quickly pulled my hands back. I couldn't let him do that. Not while I was to blame for this. Not while I was the reason they were here in this hell hole. I just couldn't stand it, not after everything. I cut Newt off before he could start talking.

"Newt, I won't run into the Maze unless Alby says I can. I don't feel like being banished thank you very much. Now cool down I have other things to do than soothe your irrational fears good that?"

Newt visibly tensed and his face was no longer concerned. He was mad. I probably went too far, but I couldn't handle being questioned by him. I wouldn't be able to help myself. I would tell him everything. When it came to this boy I couldn't seem to control myself well.

"Lise I thought you ran into the bloody Maze. With the way you've been acting that's not irrational. You could you a least tell me where you plan on going next time so I don't worry."

He didn't think I could take care of myself. Yea Stephen got the best of me, but I wouldn't let that happened twice. It shouldn't matter anyway. If I was the reason he was here why would he care what happened to me? He should really hate me for this.

"You know what Newt," I said pulling my shoes on. "I don't have to tell you where I'm going. Stephen is no longer an issue. All the boys he talked to now if they touch they will be banished, so they aren't an issue. I'm safe now. So," I stood and walked to the door. "I don't have to tell you anything. Have a nice night."

"Lise, wait" he grabbed my wrist and pulled me to a stop. "I was just-"

"Don't just. Don't worry about me doing anything stupid anymore. I no longer need you to hover over me. I'm not your issue. I...I wont ever be your issue. So just leave me be," I turned and walked out of the homestead.

I walked towards the sill open south gate and ran along the wall of the Glade. Why did I have to be so...so horrible. I shouldn't have treated Newt that way, but there was no going back now. Running made be feel better I could feel my anger, fear, frustration, everything leave my body every time my foot pounded against the ground. So I just kept running even when the doors shut and the others started to settle into bed. I let everything disappear and forced my mind to focus on one thing. I was going to get in the Maze one way or another. For now I would act normal and follow every shuck rule that Alby threw my way. Until than I would run. I ran until I couldn't breath and my legs were about to give out under me. I ran until I couldn't think anymore, then I ran until I felt completely numb before climbing the stairs and dropping to the floor in my room to sleep.

I woke up the next day and Newt had placed me on the bed, and he wasn't on the bed next to me. Anger bubbled in my chest. If he was going to play this game again I was going too- the half of the bed I wasn't on was still warm. He had slept there than. I plopped back on the bed and starred up at the ceiling. My legs were so sore I could barely lift them, but I forced my way out of bed and down the hall. As I walked by the room Gally was being kept in I heard hushed voices from inside. Clint was talking to Gally on the other side of the closed door so I stopped to listen.

"No Clint I don't want her in here!"

"Gally she just wants-"

"No she's done horrible things. Things I never wanted to remember. I don't want to look at her. I don't want to be near her," my heart sunk in my chest he did believe exactly what Stephen did. I was a horrible person. Whatever reason I was here for it was to suffer for what I did in my life before this.

I turned and walked back to my room quickly. I couldn't be here right now. I pulled on my new shoes and was just about to leave the room when Newt came back with food for breakfast. I stopped in my tracks and starred at him. After what I said to hurt him he was still going to be nice to me? What was wrong with this boy?

"Alby wanted me to bring you some food. He wants you to get back to working with Clint and Jeff. He wants you to continue teaching them what you know," he set the food on the bed and turned to leave. I could see the tension in his back as he walked. I was the cause of that. I opened my mouth before I could stop myself.

"Newt-" I stopped and he paused with is hand on the door. I opened my mouth to continue, but I lost my voice. He looked back at me, and there in his eyes I found my resolution. He was hurt, but it wasn't something I couldn't fix from afar. The pain in my chest, I deserved, he didn't deserve to ever look like that. So I would keep my distance, he would recover, and I would get him out of this place. He would be okay. I would make sure of it. I would make sure he was fine, but I didn't deserve the same kind of pleasure. I shook my head and looked down at the plate of food on the bed. He left without another word.

We were back to being polite while tolerating each other. I wrung my hands together I didn't like it. I wanted the other Newt back…but I couldn't. I deserved to feel this way.

I ate my food, and went about my normal routine. Everything went back to how it was before Gally was stung. Well everything but Gally and my running. In the morning I taught Clint and Jeff everything I could remember about medical care. In the afternoon I helped heal the little things. I avoided Newt and he avoided me. We still shared the bed mostly because fighting over the floor was ridiculous. Or that's what I told myself. Really it made me feel better being that close to him even in my sleep. Life moved on and I was no longer the Greenie three days later when another boy came through the Box. This was my life now, but eventually I was going to change it.


	9. The Greenie

First I want to apologize profusely for how long this took to upload. I really had meant to finish it and get it online earlier, but the fates were against me. First it was Organic Chemistry Formal Reports, then Final Exams and the family get together. So I'm sorry for how long it took. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks for all your patience with my horrid timing.

* * *

A loud bang from something heavy crashing to the floor downstairs woke me up with a jerk. My eyes opened, but I closed them quickly to block out the sun. I should get up, go do work, but the bed felt so comfortable. I didn't want to move ever. I snuggled closer to my pillow and sighed in contentment, before realizing that my pillow had a heart beat and was drawing small circles between my shoulder blades. I had rolled over in my sleep again. For nearly ten months I had been avoiding making connections to the boys, but it was a futile endeavor. Every time I turned around they did something that let them wiggle their way into my heart, and it made it that much worse because I knew. I knew one day they would turn on me. They would hate me when they knew for sure I was the reason we were here, and that would kill me more surely than a Griever would

Newt's hand slowed and stopped making circles on my back when he realized I was awake and for a moment I stayed there. Enjoying the sound of his heart beat and the heat from his body against mine, but my brain very helpfully reminded me how Newt would actually treat me when my suspicions were confirmed. I sat up quickly and turned away almost as if he had burned me. I reached down to the floor from the bed and dug my shoes out from under it. I heard the blanket rustle as he moved, but he just sat up in bed. He didn't do anything else. Confusion grabbed a hold of me for a moment, but I brushed it off. It wasn't my business.

When I first started to roll over in my sleep he had gotten out of bed as soon as he woke up, pushing me off of him, and leaving the room with stiff shoulders. After the first couple of times he had actually stopped coming back to the room to sleep. The first night he didn't come back I attempted sleep, but was bombarded with nightmare through the whole night. I couldn't even remember much from them, just a flash of the glade, but from an aerial view. Over the course of a couple days I decided that I was no longer going to get restful sleep. Not without him there with me. At first I had tried to pretend there was nothing wrong, but a few weeks went by and the nightmares never let up. I was so tired I was falling asleep when treating the others. Alby began hovering around me like a worried older brother and wouldn't let me do anything. The day I turned down food because I no longer had an appetite someone must have told Newt what was happening because he came that night. I don't think I have ever slept so soundly in my life.

More recently my rolling over had become a frequent occurrence, and had developed the habit to allow me to lay there until I woke up. Then he would leave just as quickly and we wouldn't really talk for the day. It was a set thing. It hadn't changed for a while. So the fact that he just sit up in bed and didn't leave was weird. What was he doing? As I tied my shoes I let my mind go over a few possibilities. Maybe he was planning on calling in a sick day. Yea right. Sick days didn't really happen. Or maybe he was…what if there was something wrong? Curiosity got the better of me so I turned to look at him.

He was leaning against the wall at the head of the bed staring at me with narrowed eyes and a frown. His eyes were blazing with questions and thoughts. Thoughts I hadn't seen there for a long time. I turned back around quickly, my checks on fire, and started to stand up. I made my way towards the door. There didn't seem to be anything wrong. If he wasn't going to leave I definitely was.

"Why?"

At the sound of his voice my muscles froze up, and left my control. That tone. My eyes squeezed shut. Since I had rebuffed all his efforts to be near me he had adopted a harsh tone when talking to me, and when talking to the other boys he used a friendly tone. This was the tone I, looking back realized, he used only with me. This tone was my favorite. This tone made that wondrous feeling from before raise its head, and made my knees weak.

"Why what," I asked in almost a whisper without turning around. I heard his sock clad feet hit the floor, and still I didn't turn. If I turned and he used that tone on me, with those fiery eyes I would crumble… All the work I put into distancing myself from the boys would be made useless. He stopped behind me and grabbed my shoulder to turn me around.

I didn't even fight him. I just turned around, but I refused to look up. He lowered his head a little to look me in the eye, and I tried to look past him.

"Shuck it Lise," he growled and spun to pace away from me. A few steps away he turned to look back at me, but I was staring wide eyed at him. He hadn't acted like this around me before. "You know what I mean! Ever since Stephen was banished you've been so…so… closed off! I can tell you want to open up. I can see it in your eyes, in the way you hold yourself, in the tone of your voice, in your sleep even, but you just keep turning away! Why! Why do you do it Lise?"

My mouth fell open and I floundered for words. Had he really been that in tune with my actions? His eyes flashed with some emotion I didn't have time to pin point because he was standing right in front of me in the next second. I blinked in shock and flicked my head up to look at his face nearly a foot above mine. He was looking at me with the same intense eyes, but his face had softened. He wasn't angry anymore? His entire posture had changed in the three steps it had taken for him to stand in front of me.

"Why Lise," he whispered moving my hair behind my ear gently it sent shivers down my spine. I sucked in a breath. I was having a hard time keeping up with his rapid mood swings. What was going on? Was he mad at me? I blinked again my mouth slightly ajar waiting for words to form but nothing came out. His eyes clouded over with…fear maybe for a second before the fire from before returned in the blink of an eye. I closed mine for a second trying to get my bearings. Looking at him clearly was not helping my situation. His hands reached out and took hold of my arms lightly and he began running them down my forearms to my hands. "Talk to me Lise."

I looked back up at him, my chest hurt, my head was swimming, and my heart was galloping away in my chest. My stomach was a mess. The feeling like butterflies, but twenty times worse was wrenching havoc in my body. What had he even said? He ran his hands back up my arms leaving a burning line of goosebumps as he went. He bent his head closer to mine and pressed his forehead to mine.

"Please Lise," he murmured.

"Newt I…" I didn't know what to say. My mind was a jumble. I couldn't pin down any thought long enough to get anything past my lips.

"What," he basically hummed. "Don't keep pushing me away. I don't…I can't handle it any longer."

"I…I…" God nothing would come out of my mouth. What was wrong with me? His hands had reached my shoulders, and he let them run down my back slowly. I tried to shake my head. To clear my thoughts. This wasn't safe. What he was doing. I had a reason not to let this happen. "I can't."

His body stiffened a little, and I realized my hands had found their way to his chest. I was holding his shirt in my little fists. I tried to release my hold, but Newt pulled me closer all of a sudden and I lost all thought once more. Being held by him was just the same as it had been. I felt so safe here encircled by his arms. A shiver ran down my body.

"Please Lise," He held me to him with his left arm while his right hand traveled back up my back. I lifted my head to see him better and try to get more oxygen in my lungs. My heart rate was flying through the roof. What was this boy doing to me? He looked down at me and in his eyes I saw something I had seen only once before. Where had I seen that look? "Lise please don't push me away."

The next thing I know his lips were on mine. Every bone in my body locked into place. I froze completely I had no conscious control over my anything. My heart felt like it was going to rip a hole in my chest. He tried to deepen the kiss, but I was still on lock down. I wanted so badly to respond to him, so badly to give into what I wanted, but his face contorted in anger and hatred keep reappearing in my head. He gently trailed kisses along my jaw line. My mind was turning fuzzy. I couldn't let this happen.

I tried to make my hands push him away, but they remained tangled in his shirt holding on like my life depended on it. My body began to tremble from the effort to stay frozen. He pressed his lips to mine again before moving on to the other side of my jaw. He was killing me. I wasn't going to be able to stay this way for long. I wasn't going to be able to resist everything he was offering for much longer. My chin actually jerked down just a fraction on an inch when I willed it to and he stopped his kisses to press his forehead back to mine. I tried to pull further away, but he had his hand on the back of my neck holing my forehead to his.

His slightly ragged breathing matched my own as we remained that way. I squeezed my eyes shut trying to get myself under control. It was no good. Being this close to Newt left me disoriented. He shook his head slightly and sighed.

"Why Lise? Why do you fight so bloody hard when you clearly want what I'm offering," he whispered, but all I could do was shake my head. I had no answer he would like. "Why won't you kiss me back?"

"I can't," I responded so quickly, so quietly, so desperately I wondered if I actually spoke outload, but Newt seemed to have heard me.

He shook his head again before attempting to step back, but he didn't get far. I still had a death grip on his shirt. He looked at me with such soft eyes it made my heart ache before he gently pried my fingers from the fabric of his shirt. My arms automatically warped themselves around my torso. I felt so empty now that he wasn't right next to me. He gathered his shoes from the foot of the bed and pulled them on quickly before approaching me again. With every step closer to me my heart rate increased. In fear, in excitement, in apprehension, all of them were expressed in my erotic heartbeat. He stopped just short of me, reached up towards my face, and moved the long piece of hair that had fallen in front of my face behind my ear again.

"Don't think this is the end of our conversation," he murmured. _That tone_. A shiver traveled all the way from the top of my spin to my toes, and his face was so much like the old Newt. "I'm not letting you deny us this. Not anymore Lise."

He lent down and pressed his lips to my forehead before turning and leaving the room. As soon as the door closed behind him my body turned to liquid and I sank to the floor. I covered my face with both my hands and tried to get a hold of myself. Newt's new ambition was not going to help me at all. What was I going to do?

* * *

I was sitting behind the gardens close to the north wall eating my lunch picking at grass thinking about Ben, the current Glader suffering from the Changing. I was still helping to care for him, but once the screaming started I was going to have to stay away. It was like this every time. I could only help until they started waking up and recognizing those around them. Every bloody time they saw me they freaked the klunk out. It was regularly bad, but when I was presence and they saw me it was worse. I threw a small hand full of grass away from me and sighed. I wish I was more help around here.

I was looking up at the sky when something jumped out of the garden behind and clamped down on my arm. At first I thought it was a Beetle, and in panic I dropped my sandwich and fell over on the grass trying to get my feet under me. Chuck's laugh penetrated the air and I spun around to put him in a choke hold.

"You little shank," I said laughter in my voice. "What do you think you're doing scaring me like that? The Griever's ugly mugs keep me up enough. I don't need your klunk face keeping me up too."

Chuck was still laughing as he struggled to free himself, so I let him go and he fell on his back with a thud.

"What do you want slinthead? Can't you see I'm trying to eat my food in peace," I asked picking up the half of my sandwich that fell to the ground. I flipped it over in my hands and brushed the grass from it before taking a bite.

"You know Newt's looking for ya," he said sitting next to me.

I pressed my lips together at the news, but nodded my head in acknowledgment. I was glad I had sat down behind the gardens. No one ever came over to this part of the Glade during lunch. My lips tingled informing just how much I would rather have Newt here, but I glared out ahead of me at the wall. I was trying to keep him at arm's length, but he was making it increasingly difficult. If this all did blow up in my face…it was going to be painful to see their faces, his face especially, contorted in hatred. I twisted my finger around a blade of grass while my emotions swirled chaotically. Chuck leaned forward to catch my attention, and I turned to him.

"You going to finish that," he asked pointing towards my sandwich. I nodded and took another bite, he pouted a little.

I watched Chuck from the corner of my eye as I ate. He was the newest arrival. The freshest Greenie, and the youngest by far. He barely looked 13 to me, but I sucked at guessing their ages. He had been here almost a month already so the next Greenie was due any day, but I felt bad for him still. The poor kid didn't really fit in here. I hadn't meant to, but I had grown attached to him, just as I had done with Frypan and Ably when I first got here. I finished my sandwich and turned to Chuck.

"Any gossip for me today?"

He looked up at me for a moment and I could see in his eyes that he did have news for me, but it was about me. He looked away quickly and picked at the grass nervously.

"Not today I guess," he muttered.

"Don't lie to me," I grumbled crossing my arms. "Spit it out Greenie."

He glared at me, but I gave him my 'I'll hurt you look'. A look Frypan had once told me made me look like a pouting puppy rather than mad, but Chuck caved. Just like that.

"Fine," he said and leaned back onto his arms. "I overheard Alby talking to Frypan today inside the kitchen," I was already regretting making him tell me, but I had to know now. "He was telling Frypan that he missed you," I frowned in confusion, but Chuck didn't pause. "He said he missed how you were when you first got here. Frypan told him that you were still you, but Alby told him to quit believing that. He said that you had," he raised his fingers and quoted to me what Alby had said. "'been closed off because you're hiding something.' Frypan eventually agreed with Alby."

I waited for him to continue, but he was looking at his feet. I reached out and punched his arm. He rubbed his arm and pouted at me.

"Well, did they say anything else?"

"They want you to go back to how you were. Alby said he was going to try and talk to you. I don't get what they mean. You're not closed off. You've been nothing but….well you've been kind of nice to me since I got here," he muttered.

I rolled my eyes and leaned back on my elbows biting my lip. I was going to have to figure out how to avoid Alby not too. Why did life have to be so shucking complicated here? I bit my lip a little too hard and winced in pain reaching up to check for blood. I could feel Chuck's eyes burning little holes into the side of my face so I turned to him with a questioning look.

"What Chuck?"

"You're going to avoid Alby aren't you?"

I was taken back a little that he figured that out so quickly. This kid was more observant than I thought. Then again I did use him as an eavesdropper most of the time I should have seen it coming.

"I might…" I said softly looking up at the bright blue sky. I've been here for such a long time, and not once had I seen even the idea of a cloud in the sky. I looked back down to Chuck to see he was giving me a 'don't bullshit me' look. I sighed and rolled my neck on my shoulders. "Okay yes, but you don't-"

Just then the alarm started blaring and I jumped in surprise. The newbie was here. Chuck's face lit up and he nearly jumped onto his feet to run around the gardens. I laughed and stood up to follow him at a slower pace. For the entire time that I had been here, not a single girl had been sent up the box after me. I had a sinking feeling that I would forever be the girl greenie here. The other boys had gathered around the Box as well, and I took my usual spot next to Frypan. He smiled at me behind his beard, and I laughed. Like usual Alby had yet to show up. He'd be here soon though.

"How are you sweetie?"

"I'm good. Bored really. Nothing's progressed with Ben yet, but it's a matter of time before I'm back to kissing skinned knees and booboos," I joked. He laughed and threw his arm around my shoulder.

"I wish you'd come around the kitchen more often. I miss you're…vigor. Kept me amused. Now all I have are the dead pigs to keep me amused." I smiled a little tighter than I would have liked, and turned my head to the chattering boys by the Box opening.

Not even a few minutes later the doors opened and the other poked their greedy little heads in to look at the poor unsuspecting boy. I rolled my eyes, patted Frypan's arm and walked forward to break them up. They thought it was funny to tease the Newbies, but I was not so…enthused by it.

"Okay you shanks take a step back!"

Most of the boys looked over their shoulder at me and took a few steps back frowning in disappointment. The last few boys sneered at me without listening. They were friends with Gally. I glared back at them, but didn't push the issue. Gally was a big enough problem since he went through the changing. I didn't have to anyway. Minho stepped forward and glared the others down until they stepped back. I took a spot next to Chuck and Minho followed to stand beside me while we all waited for Alby to show his late shuck-face.

A few minutes later Alby pushed his way through the crowd of boys and nodded at me before throwing the rope down into the box. I avoided making eye contact with Newt just a few steps behind Alby. My face warming a little with our close proximity. Chuck bumped me while shifting his weight room foot to foot. Alby dropped the rope into the box and began pulling the Greenbean up into his new home. Minho nudged my arm and pointedly looked down at me shoes when I turned my attention to him. He crossed his arms questioning me with his eyes. I knew what he meant. I hadn't gone running this morning like I normally do. I shrugged and looked away almost sheepishly. I had been running the Glade since he gave me the shoes. I ran almost as quickly as Minho now.

He sighed. but I had turned my attention back to the Greenie again. Alby was talking to him and blocking my view just enough to annoy me. He did this every time a new boy entered the Glade. He said it made him feel "better," so I went with it. Galley called something out to the left of me, and I rolled my eyes glaring at Alby's back willing him to shift just a little. Alby was explaining a few things horribly before mentioning the Cliff and screwing up…again. Newt jumped in and Alby moved just enough for me to get a good look at the Newbie. He was tall, not as tall as Newt or Alby, but defiantly taller than me with brown hair. My stomach started rolling and I placed my hand over to try and quell the feeling. It was similar to the feeling I got when I first met Newt, but worse. So much worse.

The newbie's eyes flickered to meet mine for a moment, and all the oxygen left my lungs. Panic like I've never felt before gripped my body and squeezed. Alby shifted back over blocking my view, but it was too late. My eyes searched out Newt's on their own and there he was already looking at me confusion and concern etching his face. I reached out and took hold of Minho's arm desperately looking for help. Newt took a step towards us, but I turned my head away and held up my hand to make him stop. Hopefully he caught the hint and didn't approach me.

Minho was looking down at me confusion clouding his features. I shook my head and squeezed my eyes shut trying to calm my racing heart. Something was wrong. So horribly wrong. I had to get out of there. I turned and tried to leave, but fumbled over my own feet. Minho caught me before I hit the ground or made a scene and began walking. He half carried me half dragged me to my room in the Homestead. He sat me down gently on the bed, but I gripped his forearms to ground myself. My lungs were on fire. Why couldn't I breathe? Minho crouched down in front of me to look at me.

"Lise," he asked, voice laced with concern. "What's happening? What's wrong?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. I sucked in a shallow breath through my teeth and shook my head violently. I couldn't get words out of my mouth. My lungs weren't functioning. Something wasn't right.

"Lise please," Minho begged. "Talk to me."

"Panic," I gasped. "Panic," I opened my eyes, but my vision was blocked by tears.

"I don't understand Lise," Minho said desperately. "What can-" A loud bloodcurdling scream cu Minho off, and I froze up in fear. Ben was awake. I couldn't handle all of this.

"Son of a-" Ben screamed again. I clamped my hands over my ears. Why? Why was this happening? I couldn't breathe.

"Lise," Newt's voice. Newt was here. I reached one arm blindly out towards the door. He would know how to make this all stop. I sucked another shallow breath between my teeth. "Minho, what's happening?"

"I don't know," he exclaimed. "She keeps saying panic!"

"It's a panic attack," Newt said. "Hey, Lise. Let's talk huh?"

I shook my head. I didn't want to talk right now.

"No come on now. Don't be a shank," he removed my other hand from my ear and made me look him in the eye. "Alright. How was lunch today?"

I squinted my eyes. What was he doing?

"I meant to eat with you today. Haven't done it in a while, but I couldn't seem to find you. I looked all over. Where were you hiding?"

Oh. I see. That little shank I wasn't going to tell him. If he wanted to know where I was he going to have to find me. I shook my head a little pursing my lips. He smiled.

"Fine don't tell me. I will find you eventually. I'll just follow Chuck. Oh speaking of Chuck, that bloody shank, he played another prank on Gally. He won't live much longer if he keeps doing that."

I huffed a laugh. Newt laughed in response. He was right. I wouldn't let much happen to him though. Newt let go of my left hand and moved the hair form my face. The sun shone through the window allowing me to see the dust dancing in the air.

"Yea. That boy is a load of trouble," He stood up and sat on the bed next to me turning my body to lean against the wall as he moved. "Alby's been mad at me for a while. Says I have to fix whatever I broke between us cause he misses you," I turned my head way and sighed. He forced me to turn back. "Frypan wants to talk to you too." Tears welled up in my eyes again. His smiled turned into a frown. He gently ran his hands up my arms.

"It's okay you know. None of us think badly of you," Newt murmured.

"That doesn't matter right now," I whispered. He sighed and moved to rest again the wall next me never losing physical contact with me. "Just because you like me now doesn't mean you won't hate me later."

"Lise," Newt sighed. I watched him shake his head and run his free hand through his hair. "Let's not talk about this right now. Everything will turn out fine. How about we just relax for a little bit huh? Come here. You'll feel better after you get some rest."

He pulled my closer to him, at first I resisted, but I was so tired. I didn't have the energy to fight it. I let him pull me against his chest, and I realized that I was no longer struggling for breath. Newt had calmed me down that fast. This boy was….astonishing. He wrapped his arm around me and I rested my head on his shoulder. Maybe a few minutes in silence would help…

* * *

I woke to Alby screaming angrily from down the hall. I was alone in my room. I jumped out of bed, didn't bother to put my shoes on, and quickly opened the door. I looked down the hall to the room Ben was in only to freeze in place. The Greenie was standing in the door way with his back to me. Alby yelled at the boy again, and he spun around to head for the stairs. I didn't even have time to move before he ran into me and knocked me to the ground.

I landed hard on my back and lost my breathe for a moment before sitting up to look at the Newbie. He was in the process of standing, but stopped in a half crouch when his eyes met mine. His grew wide, but I had no reaction. The nausea from before just…wasn't there. The Newbie's mouth opened as if he were going to speak but nothing came out. We just sat there staring at each other until movement at the door caught my attention.

Newt was standing there looking down at us in confusion and… anger? He stepped into the and basically picked me up off the floor.

"You okay Lise," he asked. I nodded and he turned his attention to the Greenbean. He scowled at him for a moment before speaking. "You should watch where you're going Greenie. It's bloody impolite to run a girl over."

The Greenie nodded almost daze like and basically ran down the hall to the stairs. I looked up at Newt, but he was still watching the Newbie leave. After the Newbie's shoes were out of sight he looked down at me. I was looking at him disapprovingly.

"What?"

"You're such a slinthead," I said walking towards our room.

"Wait Lise, I was only joking with the Greenie. I didn't mean it."

I pulled my shoes on and started towards the door once more. I was going to find something useful to do. Newt spun me around by my hand and pulled me against him. My face heated, but I didn't pull away from his embrace. He stroked the side of my face with his hand and moved my hair out of my face gently. He kissed me before I saw it coming, but I didn't kiss him back. He sighed and rested his forehead against mine.

"Kiss me back Lise," he murmured. "I know you want to. Stop holding back."

"I can't," I whispered.

He sighed again and left the room. I started after him with tears forming in my eyes. Why couldn't I push these stupid fears aside? Why couldn't I just trust him?

* * *

Well that's this chapter. I hope to have the next done by the end of January. Happy New Year!


	10. The Girl

Okay first I would like to apologize for how long I left you guys hanging. I was horrible for doing that. I have no excuses that will cover this. I just had a very bad year. I am sorry. I am expecting a much better year coming up and hope you all keep reading if only to see what becomes of Lise.

I do not own any of these characters except for Lise.

Please excuse any spelling errors I checked the chapter over quickly before adding it, but some typos may still be present.

Please enjoy this chapter and I hope to keep adding more now that I have extra time.

Thanks!

* * *

I slipped into my room and closed the door gently holding my breath to listen for movement. It was late. Later then I normally came back. If I was quite enough I would be able to get my second set of clothes on without waking Newt. I had rinsed off quickly before coming up. I didn't smell pretty, but I smelt much better than if I had come upstairs completely sweaty. For the last two and a half hours I had been running laps around the glade trying to both get my thoughts in order and de-stress. It had been a long fucking day, and running helped me feel better. I kicked my running shoes off and pulled my socks off first. I unbuttoned my shorts and dropped them on my socks. I found my new clothes where I left them the night before and pulled on my clean underwear and shorts. The makers had been thoughtful and sent me both undergarments I required as a female. That had been a fun experience when they came up in the box. I threw my shirt and bra on the dirty pile and put my clean ones on.

I carefully made my way to the bed in the dark feeling with my bare feet to make sure I didn't step on anything. I was dying to sleep. Since there was no blanket I crawled up and settled into my spot. I was just barely comfortable when Newt rolled over, wrapped his arm around me, and pulled me against his chest. My breath froze in my chest and I gripped his hand in mine. I wasn't sure if I was trying to push him away or hold him there. His breath traveled over my neck and left goosebumps.

"Newt," I whispered. "What…"

"I told you, Lise. I'm done letting you push me away. Especially after today. You scared me leaving with Minho like that. Then I walk in here and you're having a bloody panic attack," he sighed and tightened his hold on my hand. "I don't want that happening again. You are going to find running away much harder now."

We sat in silence for a few moments while I processed what he said. I wasn't sure what to do. I knew this wouldn't end well if I let it persist, but I really didn't want to push him away. I was torn.

"Stop thinking Lise," Newt murmured behind me. "I don't plan on falling asleep until you do, and I have to introduce the greenie to the grievers in the morning so I need me my beauty sleep."

I stiffened up a bit and rolled over to face him. My eyes had adjusted a little bit to the darkness and at this distance I could see him blink at me in confusion.

"I want to come."

"Why," he asked. His eyebrows pulled together and he frowned. "You've never asked to before."

I wanted to see the Greenie's reaction to the grievers, but I didn't want to tell Newt that. I bit my lip and tried to come up with an excuse. It was harder than I thought.

"I…" I should just tell him. What would it hurt? "I want to see his reaction I guess. I've never seen you show anybody before."

That was close enough and he really didn't need to know it was this particular Greenie I wanted to keep my eye on. He rolled over onto his back and shoved a hand behind his head.

"I don't know Lise it seems pretty useless to me."

"Please?"

Newt sighed and looked down at me in the dark. Was he actually going to tell me no? This wasn't even dangerous. I shifted around until I was leaning on my elbows looking at him. I raised my eyebrows and pressed my lips together.

"I won't get in the way." I said. He ran a hand down his face.

"It's not that Lise. I don't know if I trust this Greenie." I bristled a little at his words.

"I can handle myself you know."

"I know. I believe you can, but I just…"

"Please Newt."

"You're a bloody slint-head you know that?"

"Please?"

"Fine. You can come. Now it's time for some sleep."

I smiled and rolled over so I was facing away from him, like I normally fall asleep. However, Newt had other plans. He made a disapproving noise and rolled me over so I was laying across his chest. I grunted in surprise and tried to pull back.

"You'll end up like this anyway. Just…stay." He murmured into my hair.

I had to admit it did feel nice and I felt safe, and I never wanted to move. I gritted my teeth and tried to turn away one more time, but Newt wrapped his hand around my arm and tucked my head under his chin. I wasn't going anywhere apparently. I squeezed my eyes shut in resignation and settled into a comfortable position next to him. I fell asleep in less than a few minutes.

* * *

Newt rolled over and I fell onto the mattress face first. I lifted my head and looked around in confusion with hair covering my face. It was still dark outside, there wasn't even a hint of sun rays in the sky, so it very much wasn't time to get up yet. It wasn't even time to get up to bring the Greenie to the window. I turned to Newt, but he hadn't even gotten out of bed. He was laying with his back to me. Had he changed his mind? My heart constricted in my chest and made me lose my breath. I swallowed past a lump in my throat and reached out to touch his shoulder. Before I could reach him he sat up and stood up suddenly. I jerked my hand back in surprise. I watched him for a couple of seconds my dread growing in my chest and spreading through my body like a virus.

"Newt, are…are you okay?"

"What do you think Lise?" His hands formed fists beside he body.

"I don't know-"

"Of course I'm not bloody alright!" He spun around and pointed at me. "You put us here, you've emitted it, Stephen knew it, Gally knows it, and you still expect me to be alright? You're jacked in the head if you believe I, or any of us, are alright!" His voice got louder and louder until he was yelling and I squeezed my eyes closed and pressed my hands over my ears. Why was he doing this now?

I pulled my legs up so I was curled almost into a ball shook my head. How could he do this now? How could he do this after telling me he wouldn't care? How he wouldn't see me any differently. I could barely breath. I could just make out Newt's voice through my hands and after a few minutes Newt's hands reached out and pulled my hands from my ears and he pointed out the window.

"Listen to them scream! It's your fault!" Indeed, I could hear the other boys yelling in pain. It was a symphony of agony reaching every crevice of my mind and leaving me empty inside.

"Please stop!" I cried trying to pull away from him.

"Lise! Look at me! Lise!"

I tried with all my might to get his hands off of me. Why was this happening now? I wasn't even sure if I was the reason behind all of this. I didn't want to hear or see anything else.

"Bloody wake up Lise!"

* * *

I opened my eyes, but it was still dark in the room save a small candle flame sitting on the floor by the bed. Newt was leaning over me with his hands holding my arms and a concerned crease between his eyebrows. I was breathing heavily, but I couldn't hear any yelling anymore. Had that been a dream? It felt so real. Newt removed his hold on my right arm and gently swiped the hair out of my face. I flinched away, and confusion clouded over his features.

"Lise, you're okay now. It was just a bad dream." But it was going to be my reality. I could feel it. If I knew subconsciously I was the reason behind the Maze, then the reality would catch up eventually. He sat down slowly beside me on the bed. "Maybe I can make you feel better. What was it about?"

I shook my head, and tried to roll away to get out of bed. I just wanted to forget it happened and go back to avoiding that possible outcome. I wanted to pretend Newt was still pissed at me. He on the other hand, wanted none of that. He pulled me so I was laying on my back again and raised his eyebrows. He had settled down right next to me so I was looking up at him.

"I go to the bathroom for five bloody minutes and I come back to find you all worked up." He had a tight grip on my right wrist making it impossible for me to leave. "So you're going to tell me what happened in your dream one way or another. I don't want to keep finding you like this if I leave the room for one bloody second."

I pressed my lips together and looked away from him. Why did he have to be so persistent? Why was it so hard for me to resist his comforts? Before this whole mess between us started I barely knew him. Well I barely knew anyone. Hell I barely knew myself. I was struggling with my resolve to resist my feelings for the boys, and Newt, well he was the weak spot in my armor. My Achilles heal.

"Come on Lise, don't make me beg."

I bit the inside of my lip before looking him in the eye. I was going to tell him no, but of course, once our eyes locked I couldn't. Damn him and his wonderful eyes and damn my stupid feelings. My heart rate increased and he began rubbing tiny circles over the pulse point in my wrist with his thumb. It worked to calm me down, but I really didn't want to share my nightmare with Newt. I didn't want to see how he would react to my inner fears. His hand released my wrist and traveled up my arm slowly.

"I just want to help," Newt hummed. "I won't let you shut me out anymore. I've told you that already." He shifted a little before slipping his arm under my shoulders and pulling me against his chest. He wrapped his arm around my back and rested his chin on the top of my head.

"Please just let me help you. I promise nothing bad will happen. I won't leave you. I…I hate seeing you like this."

Tears pooled in my eyes and I buried my face in Newt's chest. After all this time why did he have to choose now to fight so hard? Why did he have to swoop in right when my walls seemed to be crashing down? Newt ran his hand through my hair slowly. He was waiting for me to respond, but how could I tell him? This was the first nightmare I had remembered in a long time, and it left me trembling at the very thought that what happened could be Newt's real harsh reactions.

"I just don't want to talk about it right now," I gasped through my tears. My voice was muffled by Newt's shirt, but he must had heard me because he sighed and pressed a kiss to the top of my head.

"I'm not gonna push you right now, but I will get the bloody answer out of you Greenie. Don't think I'll let this go."

I didn't say anything in response, partly because he called me Greenie and partly because I wasn't sure what to tell him. We sat like that for a while before I started to drift off again and Newt shifted around so we were laying on the bed again instead of sitting up.

"Don't forget we have to bring Tommy to see the Grivers in the morning." Newt yawned and curled his arm tighter around my body.

I hummed in response and let my mind drift in the moment enjoying the state between reality and dreaming where everything seemed perfect.

* * *

I woke up to Newt nudging me with his foot. The sun wasn't even up yet and this shank thought he could force me awake. I don't think so. I was still blissfully in between realms and I wanted to stay there for as long as possible or fall back to sleep. I rolled away from him and curled around the pillow he normally used that would show him. I heard him swear under his breath across the bed and I smiled internally. Maybe I won. Just a few more hours and I would be fine to get up on my own. He knew that so why was he trying so hard now?

I felt him crawl onto the mattress and I pulled the pillow closer to my body. I wasn't going to play no tug of war this early in the morning. He settled himself next to me laying down on the bed.

"Lise, we have to go." He nudged my arm again. I didn't move. "Lise?"

I felt him brush his fingers through my hair and I turned my head to face him enjoying the feeling. Maybe he would let me stay here. His petting was helping me fall back asleep. He could come up with some stupid reason to tell Alby I had to stay in bed.

The mattress moved as he shifted his weight and I tensed up when I realized his face was much closer to mine then I would like. I was very much awake. I really hoped he wasn't planning to do what I thought he was, and yet I couldn't seem to pull away. I wanted him to kiss me even though I knew how much it would hurt I wanted him to.

"We need to wake up the Greenie now if you wanna catch the Grivers. If not, I'll leave you here." He pulled away and got off of the bed. That little shank. I can't believe he played me like that. I rolled to my side of the bed and let my feet hit the floor. He knew how to press my buttons a little too well for my comfort. "I'll wait for you outside."

I tied my shoes while he made his way down stairs and stood up stretching. My back cracked in a few places and I sighed before making my way out of Homestead after Newt. Once I caught up with him he started to walk quickly towards the gardens. I basically had to jog to keep up with him.

"Why are you running," I gasped.

"I'm not running. You just have short legs. You took forever to wake up. If we don't hurry, we'll miss any Griever who happens to come by."

"I feel like that wouldn't be the end of the world." I could sense him rolling his eyes.

"Alby wants to give him the tour today. You know he prefers it when the Greenie has some idea about the situation we're in."

"Well we have at least another hour or so before the sun comes up. We don't have to hurry this much."

"Grivers aren't exactly reliable Lise. We have to hope one comes along while we're at the window. The more time for that to happen, the better."

"I hate it when you're this much of a slinthead," I muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing important."

We reached the edge of all the boy sleeping by the gardens and Newt held up his hand for me to stop. I pouted a little, but let him walk into the maze of sleeping bodies by himself. I tapped my foot impatiently. I watched his dark figure walk around for a few minutes before bending down and a few moments later two figures stood up. I heard a cry of pain and winced in sympathy, someone got stepped on.

As the two boys approached me, one walking straight the other with a slight limp, I could tell Newt was getting irritated. I tried really hard not to look directly at the Greenie while they walked towards me. I was afraid the episode from yesterday would repeat itself. Once they reached the gravel Newt shot me a sideways glance before breaking into a run towards the west wall. I groaned internally. I really didn't wanna run this early, why did he have to be so annoying.

I followed after him and the Greenie ran close on my heels. I was rather surprised. I wasn't exactly running as fast as I could, but the Greenie was still keeping pace with me. It was rather impressive for someone who just climbed out of the Box. Newt slowed down and stopped in front of the big ivy patch concealing the window into the Maze. Along the wall I could see the red eyes of the Beatle Blades and a shiver ran down my spine.

"What are those" Thomas's voice broke me out of my mind.

"When you bloody need to know-"

"Beatle Blades," I said cutting Newt off. He shot a glare at me over his shoulder and I gave him a tight smile. I hadn't actually meant to tell the Greenie that, but I also feel that leaving the Green Beans in the dark tended to make them…upset. I should know.

"What? What do you mean?"

"You'll find out soon enough Green Bean. I can't ruin all the fun." I kept my eyes on Newt's back as he pulled the ivy from the window.

"It's kinda stupid to send me to a place where nothing makes sense and not answer my questions…shanks."

Newt laughed, and for a moment I zoned out completely. He hadn't laughed in front of me like that in the longest time. It left me feeling dazed. I wasn't sure if I could trust my own ears.

"Lise!"

Newt was waving his hand in front of my face. I shook my head a bit and sent a glance out of the corner of my eye to look at Thomas. He was looking back at me and I swung my gaze back to Newt quickly. His eyebrows were pulled together in worry, but I gave him a small smile to reassure him

"I was just telling the Greenie here about what I wanted to show him."

I raised my eyebrows and jutted my chin towards the window. Why did he want my attention for that? His eye narrowed at me, but I shrugged. He sighed and pulled the ivy back further so the Greenie could look out into the Maze. We all stood there for a few minutes the Greenie began fidgeting beside me, so I moved a little closer to Newt. I peered over his shoulder out the window and squinted out into the darkness. I knew the Greenie was probably impatient, and really annoyed. I was when I was in his shoes. A few more minutes passed and still no red lights lite up the Maze walls. Were the Grievers really not gonna show today?

Then I heard it. The whirling and sputtering of the mechanics attached to the grotesque creatures and then the lights appeared. The Greenie moved closer to the window, but I was staring at Newt. He was staring out the window almost in a trance. I let my eyes wonder to glass and to the moving mass beyond it.

"Out there's the Maze," Newt began and he went into his speech about how we live here. It was edited from the time he told it to me, but I felt no reason to listen intently to his words. I did live here myself after all. Instead I watched the Greenie stare out of the window while he listened. He didn't seem that afraid to me. When I first saw the Grievers I nearly fell pulling away from the window as fast as I could, but this kid was entranced. What was with this Greenie?

Next thing I know Newt steps back to stand next to me and gestures for the Greenie to get closer to the window. I cringed a little at the idea, but the Greenie put his face right against the glass. I watched him pressed his face against the window and frowned. This Greenie was-

He jumped back and screeched so suddenly I was startled enough to trip over my own feet. I landed on my butt and glared at the Greenie from the ground. That little shank was starting to get on my nerves. First he's perfectly fine then he's freaking out. Why was this boy so hard to read? Most of the other boys, other than Newt of course, were extremely easy for me to understand, but this Newbie was something else. Newt reached his hand out to help me, but I was ignored his hand and stood up without looking at the Greenie.

"What is that thing?"

"Grievers, we call 'em" Newt responded letting the ivy go. "Nasty bugger 'eh?"

"They only come out at night," I said stepping back up to the window to look out it. "Be glad the walls close at night Greenie, otherwise we'd all be Griever Klunk within a day."

Newt sighed and pulled me gently from the window. "You know now Greenie, what bloody lurks out there in the Maze."

"It's not joke time." I said pressing my lips together to suppress a smile. I had actually heard Newt rehearse this speech. Newt shot me a glare before continuing.

He told the he was sent here to help the Gladers do what we were all sent here to do. He made it sound so mysterious and I rolled my eyes. Newt was too dramatic in my opinion. Come to think of it…he was holding my hand. I pressed my lips together and swiftly yanked my hand out of his. I watched the Greenie's eyes follow the action. I turned my eyes away from both boys to watch the sun raise up over the wall.

"We wanna go home Greenie," I said once again cutting Newt off, much to his annoyance. "We want you to help us to that, but you gotta follow our rules…no exceptions."

* * *

A few hours later I was sitting on the grass staring out of the West door hoping to be left alone. I had just finished running not that long because I had nothing else to do. With Ben continuously screaming in the background, and no Slicers cutting their body parts I was rendered useless. I sighed and pulled up a hand full of grass and threw it away from me. I really hated feeling this way, and yet more and more often I was left in this state.

This morning I had felt that way more often than normal. When I saw the runners leave I felt completely like I wasn't actually meant to be here. Then when I went to check in with Alby he smiled at me and hugged me, but told me he had to give the Greenie his tour so he couldn't talk long. Nothing to do there. Now sitting here with my eyes closed I just wanted something to do that wasn't insignificant. I sighed and laid back on the ground. I could just barely make out Alby's voice, angry as per usual during a tour, near the animal pens. Why was I here? I felt as if the Creators sent me here for a reason, but with my memory wiped there was no way for me to figure it out.

A shadow covered the sun and I pursed my lips in annoyance. Wasn't there anywhere I could go where the guys would just let me be?

"You know sitting out here and sulking really doesn't suite you."

Newt sat next to me and nudged me with his hand. I could smell the sandwich he was offering, but I wasn't going to interact. I refused.

"I'll sit here all bloody day if I have to Lise."

I remained how I was for a few more minutes before giving in. I didn't seem to have such a strong will after all. I reached out and took half of the sandwich he was offering to me. It was my favorite. I sighed happily and looked at Newt through my lashes. He wasn't looking at me though, so I took the opportunity to search the part of his face I could see. He was eating and looking out into the Maze with a relatively far off look on his face. I let my eyes travel down his body, and tried really hard not to linger anywhere, until I reached his leg that caused him to limp.

He got the limp in the Maze. I wonder how much torture he must have been for something this bad to have happened. How much he must have hated living here in the Glade. Exactly how desperate he must have been to never have to go into the Maze again. Newt must have suffered so much here. All the boys stuck here must have suffered so much. A stabbing pain in my chest had me gasping for breath and had my eyes watering. They all must have been through so much. Why did I have to be so useless in ending their pain?

Before I could really register what I was doing, my hand had reached out and come to rest on his bad leg. I could feel his eyes shift and land on my face, but I wasn't sure what I was going to do. I wanted to comfort him somehow. Take away the pain caused by the Maze. I felt somehow responsible for his, and for all of their, pain. I should pull my hand away and leave. I could apologize and stand to break the tension. Or I could talk to him. For what felt like the forever we remained like that, and then I looked up to meet his eyes.

There was curiosity, confusion, tenderness, and…fear? I let my hand leave his leg and find its way through the air, like it had a mind of its own, where it came to rest cradling his face.

"Lise?"

I opened my mouth to say something, anything, I wasn't even sure what was going to happen, but before I could the alarms went off and startled me. Newt and I looked up at the same time towards the box.

"Newt?"

"I don't know."

We remained like that just long enough for the alarm to sound twice before looking back at each other.

"It can't be good," he whispered.

We rose and began sprinting to the box. A lot of voices called out to us in confusion, but neither of us stopped to talk. We made it to the box, but it was nowhere near opening. I spun to look around at all the boys gathering and whispering in confusion. This was not normal. How were we going to keep them calm? Alby and Thomas came running up and Thomas called for Newt. I ground my teeth together in annoyance and turned away. I need to focus on the issue at hand not on specific boys.

The alarm stopped and all the heads were gone, probably consulting before getting out here to handle the situation. Most of the boys where milling about quite a few shot glances my way. I told them I was just as much in the dark as all of them. Why was this happening? What had changed to make the Creators send two Greenies so close together? I paced around the box opening forcing the boys who were too excited to step back and control themselves. This was not the time for everyone to start acting like a bunch of Klunk heads. I watched the Greenie talking to Chuck and I pressed my lips into a thin line.

I leave for a day and Chuck already makes bad decisions. I don't know how this new Green Bean fit into all of this, but to Newbies in two days didn't sit well. He must have something to do with it. Whether he remembers or not he is tied into this somehow. I clench my fists; he's tied to me somehow. I could feel it. I watched Gally's friends circle the Green Bean and Chuck keeping their eyes glued to Thomas. Perfect. Just what I needed. Gally being just as weird with the Newbie as he was with me. It only confirmed my suspicions more.

After ten minutes or so the heads came back out and approached the box entrance. I couldn't help myself I pushed my way to the front to join them. Alby nodded at me as he took a position near one door of the box and Newt gestured for me to follow him to the other door. I didn't resist.

I crouched next to him and as soon as the box boomed announcing the settling of box and the split in the door appeared Newt and Alby pulled it opened. I remained upright and didn't look in the box. I knew it would make Alby uncomfortable if I did. Every nerve in my body was on fire. What was done there? Newt bent forward and looked down into the box. He stared for a few moments before pulling back suddenly and focusing on me. I couldn't stop myself I bent down to look into the box.

There at the bottom laying very still and pale was the second girl ever sent into the Glade.


	11. The Change

Alright I tired really hard to get this out before the end of the month. I will be going to Australia from February to June with next semester for a study abroad program. I'm hoping to have enough time to keep updating periodically, but I figured because I took so long for the last chapter I could take the extra time I have now to get a few more out to you all.

I hope you enjoy this chapter! Don't forget to tell me what you think of it!

* * *

I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Her hair was dark and she was maybe just a few inches shorter than me, and she was pale, very pale, like not breathing pale. Panic set in for a moment, but there were so many thoughts in my head I couldn't focus on any of them. After all this time why now? Was she alive? Could I help her? What was different? I could hear all the boys freaking out in the background. She looked familiar to me. Where had I seen her before? A headache was forming between my eyes. I reached up and held my head looking away from the girl in the box.

Newt nudged me and yelled for the boys to stop talking. "That's not the bloody half of it. I think she's dead."

I sucked in a breath through my teeth, and grabbed Newt's hand. Why on earth did he have to say that. I tensed my leg muscle's to jump down into the box. I had to see what was wrong with her.

"We'll check her out Lise," New said gently holding me in place.

"I should go down there."

"We will bring her up to you." Newt whispered in my ear. "Working down there won't be very productive."

I pressed my lips into a thin line, but nodded my head. Frypan showed up next to me with some ropes and I watched as Alby and Newt were lowered into the box. Unexpected fear entered my chest and I held my breath keeping my eyes glued to Newt. I didn't like them down there. I didn't like them near her. Was I jealous? I couldn't be. It wasn't quite the right feeling in my chest. I actually felt afraid. Frist my panic attack with Thomas now this. What was happening?

I watched Newt and Alby carefully as they tied the girl to the ropes and called for the other boys to pull her out. The boys began to pull her up and drag her out onto the ground. I moved forward quickly to place my body between hers and the other boys. I placed my fingers on her neck and sighed in relief when I found a heartbeat. Newt and Alby appeared on either side of me and I opened my mouth to speak, but they cut me off.

"Greenie, get over here," Newt said pointing at Thomas. I reached out to pull on Alby's shirt, but they were all caught up in their own minds to listen to me. I watched Thomas make his way towards us, and as he got closer my apprehension grew. The headache from before was growing steadily and the pressure behind my eyes was building. Thomas knelt down beside us, and I scooted just a few inches closer to Newt.

"You know this girl, shank?" Alby asked in frustration.

"Know her? Of course I don't know her. I don't know anyone. Except for you guys."

"That's not…" Alby paused in annoyance and I reached a hand up to my head. I wasn't going to be useful for much longer. "I meant does she look familiar at all? Any kind of feelin' you've seen her before?"

"No, nothing."

"You're sure?" Alby asked. I reached out again and took hold of Newt's arm. He patted my hand, but didn't turn to me. The sun was staring to burn my eyes.

"Yes, why?"

"Shuck it. Can't be a coincidence. Two days, two Greenies, one living, one dead."

"You don't think I…" Thomas said.

"Slim it, Greenie," Newt said. "We're not sayin' you bloody killed the girl."

"Not dead." I said.

"What Lise?" Alby asked.

"I swear she doesn't look familiar at all." Thomas snapped.

"She's not dead." I said through clenched teeth.

"Are you sure-" Newt began, but the girl all of a sudden sat up and looked around. Alby cried out and fell back, Newt jumped up and stumbled away, Thomas didn't move at all, and I reached out almost blindly to steady myself.

I could hear her mumbling something, but I couldn't make it out and the next thing I know she's sending shivers down my back with one sentence.

"Everything is going to change."

She fell back to the ground and I just barely caught her head before it thudded in the dirt. She threw her right hand into the air, and stopped moving. Newt came running over and took the paper in her hand out and fell to his knees next to me to lay it out. Newt read what was on it.

"She's the last one. Ever."

I squeezed my eyes closed and clenched my teeth against the still growing pain in my head. What the hell was happening around here? Newt stood up and Alby yelled for the other Med-jacks. I reached out and took the girl's pulse again to make sure she was still alive. Clint and Jeff came running over, and I motioned for them to kneel next to me.

"So what do we do with her?" Jeff asked. I rolled my eyes.

"How should I know?" Alby said. I looked up at him in annoyance. "Oh."

"She has a heartbeat," I whispered. "It's slow, but there."

"Coma?" Clint asked reaching to take her heartbeat himself and listen for her heart. I nodded my head and clinched my fists. Damn why did a migraine have to hit now? It had to have something to do with the new Greenies.

"Who said Clint had first shot at her?" One of the boys yelled. Some of the others laughed. "I'm next!"

"If anybody touches this girl you're gonna spend the night sleepin' with the Grievers in the Maze. Banished, no questions. Ain't nobody better touch her! Nobody!"

I sighed in relief and motioned for Clint to take over. I turned my head squinting in the sun to find Newt, but my eyes landed on Thomas instead. He was staring at the girl. He wasn't telling us something. My gut feeling was the three of us were connected and with the intensity of his stare he must have he felt it to. He must have felt it. At least he must feel connected to this other girl.

"She seems fine. She's breathing and has a heartbeat. We'd say it's a coma, but we'll have to see how she does. Jeff let's get her to the Homestead."

Jeff took her arms and Clint took her legs, they counted to three and jerked her up, nearly throwing her up.

"Be more careful," I snapped before I could help myself. Jeff smiled sheepishly, and Clint apologized.

"Guess we'll have to see what she does," Jeff said. "We can feed her soupy stuff if she doesn't wake up soon."

"It's the best we can do right now," I said standing on unsteady feet.

"Just watch her closely," Newt said. "Must be something special about her or they wouldn't have sent her here."

I bristled a little at Newt's words, but bit my tongue. Alby gave my co Med-jacks some instructions about the girl, but I tuned him out. The noises everyone and the animals were making was starting to blend together as the pain in my head turned white hot. I needed to go lay down. I took a step towards the Homestead, but I couldn't focus on anything anymore let alone my feet. I reached out to the nearest person to catch myself and tried to remain standing. I didn't want to put on a show in front of all the other boys right after this fiasco.

"Wow, hey are you alright," that was the Greenbean's voice. I shook my head and turned a bit trying to find Newt's face. He would know what to do. A hand found mine and pulled me away from Thomas. I recognized the calluses and long fingers.

"What happening here," Alby asked to my left.

"I don't know," Newt said warping his other arm around my waist. His voice was tense. "I don't like all this stuff happening at once."

"My head," I half whimpered while squeezing my eyes closed to fend off the sun.

"A migraine," Alby said. "Shuck it. This is ridiculous!"

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

"Not you, Lise," he said gently. "Something's whacked. Newt bring her upstairs and settle her in for the day. Then call a Gathering."

"Good that," Newt said.

Newt gently lead me to the Homestead and upstairs to our room. He walked me to the bed and sat me down slowly. I felt guilty for needing his help like this, but with my head throbbing I couldn't do it by myself. Newt knelt down on the floor and untied my shoes for me before removing them and throwing them into the corner I normally kept them in. He moved my pillow and pull the thin blanket from under the bed to hang on the window. I watched him through squinted eyes, but I couldn't really think very well. He made his way back to me, and I tried to pull my feet onto bed, but he beat me to it. Once I was laying down he moved the hair from my face and leaned forward.

"Don't you have a Gathering to call?" I whispered.

"Aren't you supposed to let me bloody help you in your time of need?"

I shook my head and he rolled his eyes at me. He pressed his lips to my forehead and stood back up.

"I'll come back after the Gathering. Sleep in the meantime." He left the room and I closed my eyes trying to ease the pain in my head.

* * *

"Lise," Teresa whispered behind me. I jumped and switched the camera view on my computer. I turned to look at her, but she was still looking at my computer.

"What?" I asked. I already knew.

"You said you'd stop watching him." She whispered looking over the computers to see if anyone was looking or listening in. "You promised me this was over."

I bit my lip and turned to look at Thomas on the other side of me. He was too busy "looking" at his computer to say anything. I turned back to Teresa and took a deep breath.

"I can't," I whispered back pulling the image of Newt running in the Maze back up. "I need to know he's alright. When he's in the Maze all I do is worry about whether he'll make it back or not."

Teresa groaned in annoyance. "You're supposed to be subjective. You can't get attached to them. They are test subjects Lise."

I bristled at what she said and glare her down a bit. She knew I was more connected to Newt than any of the other boys. She knew we were all test subjects at one point. How could she be so calloused to the boys? She spent time with them as well.

"I will do what I want. I'm not doing anything to change what happens in the Maze. I just watch him. She doesn't even suspect anything. Get off my back Teresa."

I heard Thomas suck air through his teeth making a soft whistle sound and I quickly turned to my screen, switched to the data tables, and began to put in new numbers form the last hour. At least Thomas was on my side. She came up behind us and bent over between Teresa's and my seats.

"Any new developments today girls?"

"I haven't got anything," Teresa said.

"I don't' have any numbers that have a significant difference from other days either," I said not looking back to address her.

"Alright, we've been a bit stagnate as of late. Why don't you three try coming up with some ideas to get some results?"

"I can work on that," Teresa said eagerly.

"Please work together on it." She said before walking away from us.

I shot Teresa a glare before turning my screen back to Newt. Only to suck a breath through my clenched teeth in fear. Newt was laying in the middle of Maze path with a giant gash on his thigh. It was dangerously close to his femoral artery, and I couldn't believe he wasn't bleeding out. My heart felt like it was going to beat itself out of my chest. I reached out blindly to grip Thomas's wrist to keep myself clam. I must have surprised Thomas because he jumped a little when I grabbed him. How was Newt going to get out of this! He wouldn't be able to walk like that!

He looked over my shoulder and gasped in shock as well. He was more caring than Teresa, and I was glad for it because being the only one who was fearing for the life of this boy would have been hard. Teresa looked over my shoulder and winced in pain, but shot a glare at me a few seconds later.

"You can't do anything Lise." She grabbed a bunch of papers on the desk, she had printed a few minutes, and walked away. I glared at her back and turned to the monitor. I had to do something, Newt was bleeding out to quickly for me to wait for one of the other boys. If Newt made it back to the center in time they could stopped the bleeding and he would survive, there would be irreparable damage, but he would survive. Thomas pulled my attention to his monitor. He had brought up the closest boy, Minho, to Newt on one of the mobile cameras. He was looking over the computers to make sure no one saw what was happening.

I reached over and forced the camera into the Minho's path. It took the boy forever to understand what was happening and I had to chase him a bit to make it work. Eventually he started to follow camera and I brought him right to where Newt had fallen and stopped moving. Thomas brought his arm down quickly and I proceeded to switch my monitor to the data table again. I gritted my teeth while I waited for the techs to walk past and tapped my fingers. I wasn't even sure if I had gotten Minho there in time.

* * *

I woke up when Newt's body made the bed curve under his weight. My heart was racing, I was sweating, and my mouth was dry. I must have had a nightmare. I tried to remember what it was about, but my head was still throbbing. It was better than earlier, but I still wanted to sleep for the rest of forever until it was gone. I could tell Newt was trying to be quite and not wake me up, but I was glad he was. It was always better to be woken from a nightmare than to wake up all riddle with fear. I rolled over and reached my arm out to him.

He froze for a moment when I touched him, but he let his hand travel down my arm until he could pull me closer to him. I sighed happily and buried my face in his chest. I really wasn't sure how I feel asleep earlier without him here. He rubbed my back gently for a few moments, and I was just about to fall back to sleep when he spoke up.

"Do you feel better?"

"A little," I murmured. "My head still hurts a bit, but it's better."

"Did you sleep?"

"Not restfully."

"You've been up here for almost seven bloody hours, and you didn't sleep restfully?'

"I can't when you're not here." I heard his heart beat increase, and my face heated. My sleep riddled brain was going to get me into trouble.

"You're a little shank you know that."

"I'm sorry."

He sighed and squeezed me a little. We laid in silence for a good amount of time, and I was beginning to fall asleep once again when he opened his shank mouth again.

"If you need me so bloody much why do you try to push me away at every corner?"

"I'm afraid," I whispered.

"Of what?"

"You hating me."

"Lise-"

"Can we please just sleep," I begged. My head was starting to hurt again.

He sighed again and turned his head into my hair. I could tell he was very much awake and needing to talk to me, but I didn't have the energy. Hell, I didn't have the brain power to keep my mouth from babbling all my thoughts. If he continued talking I would probably keep on going without any remorse until tomorrow. This was all because of that girl and the Gathering. His brain was thinking too fast, and trying to figure out all his problems.

"Alight, Lise, but only because you don't feel well."

I pulled myself a little closer to him.

* * *

I woke up and stretched my arms above my head to work out the stiffness in my back. Newt was sitting on the edge of the bed putting his shoes on. My head was no longer throbbing, but there was still the lingering pain just behind my eyes. I stood up quickly and retrieved my shoes from the corner where Newt had thrown them. I settled on the bed and began to pull my shoes on, but before I could even pull the first one on Newt wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me down on the bed. He was on his elbows hovering over me. I made sure that we were touching as minimally as possible. Why did he know how to break my walls down so easily?

"Feelin' better?" I nodded and he narrowed his eyes at me. "Are you planning on working today?"

"Yes? Why?" He was being weird. What was wrong with him? He pressed his lips into a thin line and looked away for a second. "What happened?"

He sighed and bit his lip. "The Greenie was attacked by Ben yesterday."

My eyes felt like they were going to pop out of my sockets. This was the second incident since I had gotten here where a stung Glader attacked the Newbie. Not to mention it was Thomas, whom I believed to be connected to me, and myself both around times of great change here in the glad. Why did these things have to keep happening?

"I guess you had a lot to talk about at your Gathering, huh?" He shook his head.

"Kind of. We also spoke about you." I tilted my head to the side. "Mostly about your migraine…and panic attack." He paused again and sighed. "Does she look familiar to you Lise? Does Tommy boy?"

"Newt, I-" I wasn't sure where to go with this. "It's not that they look familiar per-say. It's more like I have a feeling they're connected to me somehow."

He sighed and lowered his head until his forehead touched mine. I was holding my breath waiting for his next move. His left hand reached out and grabbed my right one.

"Gally is making a big fuss about all of this happening so close together."

"I'm sure. He hasn't liked me since he went through the Changing." I whispered.

"He's a bloody Klunk head if you ask me."

"Good that," I said suppressing a smile.

Newt laughed, sat back, and pulled me up with him. He didn't let go of my hand, so I took that as a sign he wasn't done talking. He played with my fingers for a few seconds, and I knew I should pull my hand way. Refute this affection, but my willpower was so weak and I was so happy when I was with Newt.

"I need to spend the day with Tommy today," he said slowly. He was picking his words carefully. What was he trying to say without upsetting me? "The girl still needs to be taken care of… So Alby and I thought, with Gally being a shank, you could spend most of your time inside today…"

I sighed and sat on the edge of the bed dislocating my hand from Newt's hand. I put both of my sneakers on, stood up, and turned to Newt. I would play nice today simply because I wanted to be around the girl, but first I needed to run. I had slacked off too many days in a row. I was going to have to run quite a bit today.

"I will spend most of my time inside today to look after the girl, but I need to run the Glade. I haven't for a while and it's making me feel anxious and cooped up."

"Good that." Newt visibly relaxed and stood up next to me.

He reached out and pulled me against his body again. He was being so touchy lately. It was getting harder and harder to keep the necessary distance between us. I placed my hands on his chest meaning to push him back and leave the room before he could do anything else, but I griped his shirt instead. Stupid body not listening to my wishes.

Newt looked down at my hands before lifting his eyes to meet mine. He smirked a little. That little shank. I still couldn't get my hands to release his shirt. He lent forward and let his lips hover just over mine. I couldn't figure out how to make my lungs work again. He brushed his lips against mine and pulled away. I sucked air into my lungs and looked up at him in confusion and, as much as I didn't want to admit, desire. He smiled at me before removing my hands from his shirt.

"You don't have to share anything I've asked you to share with me until you want to, but Lise, I want you to know, I'm not giving up."

He let his hand fall until he was holding mine and he pulled me from the room. He walked me down the hall until we reached the room the girl was being held in. She looked the same as she had yesterday. Clint was standing by her bed checking her pulse at her wrist and Jeff was attempting to pour little bits of soup down her throat. Newt walked over to the side of the bed where Clint was and asked for an update on the girl's condition.

"She hasn't changed since yesterday." Clint said turning to us. His eyes flashed down to where Newt still held my hand, but looked back up to our faces quickly. My face was getting warmer. I quickly removed my hand from Newt's and walked around the bed to Jeff. "I'm not sure if there is anything we can do other than feed her and hope she gets better."

"This is just what we bloody needed," Newt said crossing his arms looking at me. I reached my arm out and touched the girl's forehead to check for a fever. "The second girl they send and she's all wrapped up in mystery and confusion. The bloody creators are all shanks for doing this."

"Good that," Jeff said angrily as he accidently poured soup down the side of the girls face.

"Here," I said wiping the soup up and taking the spoon from Jeff. "Try sitting her up a little." Jeff moved her so she was too upright and I had to help him mover her so she was just a little propped up on three pillows. "If she's like this the soup will still go down her throat, but you'll have less of an issue with accidently losing soup. I would give her some water as well. We need to make sure she stays hydrated. I would say we could use an IV, but we don't have any saline."

"Thanks Lise," Jeff said before taking control again.

I patted his arm and grabbed the paper they had been writing her vitals down on since yesterday evening. There was very little difference in any of the hours. She was probably going to be like this for a while. At least for today there wasn't going to be much for me to do at all, not with Clint and Jeff hovering over her like they were.

"What's the word on Ben?"

"He's locked up for now." Newt said heading towards the door. "I have to go show Tommy all the job opportunities he has to choose from. I'll come back later to check in on everything."

He left the room, and I ran after him so I could leave the Homestead with him. I was going for a run before I got some food, then I would come back and help Clint and Jeff, if they needed it. I caught him at the base of the stairs and walked with him to door. He stopped me just before we could walk outside.

"Listen Lise, I didn't want to offend you when I asked if you would stay inside today. I just worry that Gally, with all the boys he has on his side, would do something stupid to you or the Greenie. I can't be in both places at once and Alby-"

"Newt it's fine. I don't blame you. I need food and to run then I'll come back inside alright?" He sighed and nodded his head, but he still didn't move. I raised my eyebrows and crossed my arms. "This is a good way to upset me."

He reached out so quickly I barely saw his arms move, and then I was pressed against his chest. He rested his chin on top of mine and took a deep breath. I squirmed a little, but he made it incredibly hard to move in his embrace. I wanted more space between us…no I should have more space between us. I didn't really want to be away from him. I couldn't deny that to myself, I wanted to be with him, but I couldn't. He made it difficult to keep that in mind. Especially because I felt so safe with him.

"I just want to make sure you're safe Lise," He whispered.

"Good that," I murmured back.

He let me go and turned to walk outside. He started for the Greenhouse and I started for the west gate. I began to run and just let my worries drift away. I could handle them later. Right now I was enjoying the way my muscled ached with the steps I took. I ran for a good amount of time. Longer than I meant to run for anyway. I headed back towards the Homestead for a quick shower and a change of clothes before I headed over to Frypan's for some food.

I only had to wait for a few seconds before I was face to face with Frypan and he turned his window over to one of the other boys and came around to talk with me. He had sandwich with him, so I figured I could at least let him say hi. I was starving after all. He settled us down at one of the tables and I took the sandwich from him without hesitation.

"How's the other girl doing?"

"Same, no real difference. Clint and Jeff are hovering like a set of worried parents."

"New shinny toy that doesn't have an owner yet." Frypan laughed.

"What do you mean," I asked around a mouth full of food.

"Well, when you arrived it was clearly evident something was happening between you and Newt," he said leaning forward on his elbows. "I mean, right when you climb up out of the box you two just acted differently around each other. It was pretty obvious. Next thing we know you two are 'hating' each other, and I'm sitting back watching you two klunk heads work. Oh, then you have the scene with Stephen. Man I don't think I've ever seen Newt that mad. But when you started to avoid him after that, well avoiding all of us, I knew something really bad must of happened. Now you're acting more civil and you've started talking to me again, so whatever's been fixed between you too, I'm happy about it."

I bit my bottom lip and looked down at my half eaten sandwich. I hadn't realized I was so easy to read. I didn't have any issues reading the boys, but I had always thought I was keeping myself, well to myself. It made me feel opened and exposed, more so then I have ever felt before. Frypan reached out and touched my arm to grab my attention.

"Everything will be fine Lise," He said through his beard. "Stop whatever nonsense you have going on inside your head. We all care too much about you to ever harbor bad feelings for you."

"I want to believe that Frypan," I said softly. "I really do. I just-"

"Can't believe we love you that much?"

I pressed my lips together, and turned my head away. He didn't understand the circumstances behind my thoughts. If he knew-

"You think you had something to do with putting us here, right?" My head shot back to him and I paled. "Of course you do." He shook his head. "Lise, even if you had some part in all of this, I could never hate you."

"Frypan-"

"Lise," He gripped my hand. "I need you to understand we could ever hate you. I don't even think we could dislike you. You've suffered just like we have, and if you were sent here it means you did something the Creators didn't like."

I blinked at him. I hadn't ever thought about that. What if I had been doing something against the Creator's wishes? There was probably a small chance of that, but even the small chance made me feel…better. I squeezed his hand back, and smiled at him.

"Thanks, Frypan." He smiled back at me, and stood up.

"Well I should be back to work," He rounded the table and hugged me. "I'll see you later, Lise."

He walked away and I stood up to head back to the Homestead. I was feeling much better today than I had in a very long time. I was walking slowly just letting myself relax, it wasn't like Clint and Jeff were in dire need of my assistance with the girl. My eyes were caught by the Newbie, Thomas, by the box. He was looking a little ill, must have been working with the Slicers. Movement by the West door had me turning my head and I saw Minho entering the Glade. He was early. He bent down and put his hands on his legs to catch his breath.

I shook my head and began making my way over to him, but he collapsed to the ground before I took even a couple steps. I froze up for a few seconds fear gripping every part of my body. I knew he couldn't have been stung because he wouldn't have even made it back here, but the fear was there nonetheless. If he started hating me too I didn't know what I would do.

Thomas must have seen him fall as well because he started screaming for Alby and Newt before running over to Minho. I myself wasted no time after I righted my thoughts. If Minho needed me I was going to make sure I took care of him. I made it to him just as Thomas was starting a conversation with the Asian boy.

"You shank," I said angrily punching Minho in the arm. "You scared the klunk outta me when you fell to the ground. Next time give a girl a warning."

"Sorry Lise," Minho huffed a laughed and pulled me down to sit next to him. "I was too tired to think straight."

"You better be sorry."

Alby jogged up to us confusion written all over his face. "What are you doin' back Minho? What happened?"

"Calm your wad, Alby," Minho said clearly feeling better. "Make yourself useful and get me some water- I dropped my pack out there somewhere."

Alby kicked Minho in the leg, hard. "What happened?"

"I can barely talk, shuck-face! Get me some water!"

Alby smiled a bit before glaring at Thomas. "Minho's the only shank who can talk to me like that without getting his butt kicked off the Cliff." I chuckled a bit from my spot on the ground and Alby turned to look at me. "Well him and Lise." Then he turned and ran off to get Minho some water.

"He lets you boss him around?" Thomas asked.

Minho started in on how much Alby wasn't actually scary, and played a few mind tricks on the Newbie, but I never enjoyed messing with the Greenies. I watched Thomas's reaction trying to gauge his thoughts, but it was tough. I got a little upset when they spoke about the girl, but I didn't comment. When Thomas questioned Minho about what he found out there I turned to Minho myself.

"Yea, why did you come back so soon?"

"Just wait till the fancy admiral gets back. I don't like saying stuff twice. Plus, he might not want you to hear it anyway."

"I'll hear it some way or another," I said.

"I know. What with Chuck being your spy everywhere I have to watch what I say."

"Not anymore he switched to the new Greenie," I said motioning to Thomas.

Minho laughed and turned back to Thomas. They spoke a bit more about why Minho wasn't gonna say anything until Alby got back. I watch Alby walk back to us from a distance my need to know why Minho came back early growing the closer he got. Alby handed Minho the water and it was disappearing as fast as Minho would suck it down.

"Be careful," I said gently trying to force him to slow down drinking. "If you drink to fast you'll make yourself sick."

"Shuck-it," Minho said once all the water was gone. "I was dying of thirst."

"Okay," Alby said. "Out with it. What happened?"

Minho motioned towards Thomas.

"He's fine. I don't care what this shank hears. Just talk!"

Minho attempted to stand and I quickly stood to help him. He was so exhausted. He must have ran as fast as his feet could carry him to get here at this time. Minho used my body to lean against and stared Alby down.

"I found a dead one."

"Huh?" Alby said. "A dead what?"

"A dead Griever," Minho said smiling.

* * *

Okay guys I hope you liked this chapter! Tell me what you think!


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